Another Side
by Into.The.Twilight.92
Summary: Ashlin is an Al Bhed girl who's down on her luck until a certain guardian liberates her from her thieving life. Journeying as Yuna's guardian, she learns more about her world than she ever really wanted to know. Better than it sounds. Profile for details!
1. Prologue

**Note: I once wrote this story about a year ago, but lost interest and stopped. Now I am redoing it, and I'm pretty excited. I hope you guys do, as well. I really do not want any criticism as I know where the faults with my writing lie already... Haha. Basically, this is FFX with a twist, hence the title. It'll be great, I promise. Enjoy!**

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A long stretch of bright and fresh green grass extended before them, and the girls could not help but scream as they ran. The wind blew their hair out of their faces, and they looked almost angelic. From quite a bit farther away, a boy who was much older than them but still a child himself, stood watch. He doubled-over as he tried to catch his breath; chasing two seven-year-olds in a wide open plain was more difficult than he had expected. "Aimee! Ashlin!"

One of the girls, the brunette, tripped into one of the deep fissures in the ground, but the blonde one continued to run. She seemed to be chasing after a Chocobo. "For the love of Yevon," breathed the boy as he ran toward the brunette. However, she quickly recovered from her fall and followed her friend deeper into the plains. Swearing under his breath, the boy attempted to move even faster and ignore the stitches in his side. The Calm Lands were, for the most part, calm, but that did not mean that fiends did not still come around.

Exiting from a path on the north side of the Calm Lands was a trio of very attention-grabbing men. The one in the center appeared tall because of a large headpiece. He wore a large robe which was made up of large pieces of red-brown, dark brown, and brown cloth that looked somewhat like scales. His long, dark brown hair was tied in a low, pigtail-like style. The weapon that he carried, a golden staff, in addition to his clothing revealed that he was a Summoner. A somewhat serious expression took over his face.

The man standing to his left was muscular and shirtless in order to show off a tattoo symbol (as well, as, presumably, the deep scars that covered his body) that covered his chest. His left arm appeared to be made of metal because of its armor; he wore a pair of large shorts, the left side of which was obscured by an orange piece of cloth with black, vine-like designs at the bottom. His shaggy, medium-length hair was a very deep brown and, coupled with his dark brown eyes and the red scarf tied around his forehead, he looked somewhat like a stereotypical pirate. Oddly enough, this man did not wear any shoes. He looked completely relaxed.

Standing on the other side of the summoner was another muscular man, only he thought well enough to cover himself. His sleek, black hair was tied back in a not-too-long ponytail with a few strands escaping to cover his face. He wore a crimson haori, which was tied around the waist by a large blue obi. A jug was tied to the obi via a thick strand of beads at his right hip. "An Aeon that must be paid off in order to obtain," scoffed the samurai-like man.

The Summoner shrugged. "If he will aid us against Sin, then I cannot complain."

The tattooed man was not paying attention to either of them. He was squinting at the girls, who had stopped in a dark corner of the plains. The blonde girl had long and light-colored hair. She was wearing a yellow shirt with a pair of loose orange pants. The brunette girl had long, deep brown hair with thick bangs that obscured her forehead. She was wearing a blue shirt with darker blue pants. Both children's clothing looked frayed and old. Staring at them from the dark corner were a pair of angry amber eyes. "Those kids... Hey, Auron, Braska! Those kids need our help!" he exclaimed suddenly as a large furry paw with thick claws moved slowly into the light.

"We're almost to the mountain, Jecht," remarked the man in the haori, Auron. "It is pointless to help them if they're alone, anyway. A fiend is bound to get to them."

However, Braska was already moving toward Aimee and Ashlin. "They are children. No child deserves that fate." He did not snap at Auron, but his voice held an undeniable authoritative tone. Both of his guardians knew he was thinking of his own daughter, Yuna, who was about the same age as the girls. A thundara spell escaped from the rod as the Coeurl exited from the shadows and stood over the children, but it glanced right off of the creature. In fact, the only thing it may have done was piss it off.

"Come on, Braska. You know better than that. Let Auron and I take care of it," remarked Jecht as he slid a great black sword with a red vine design whose tip was shaped like an arrowhead. He surged forward with little to no regard for his Summoner as he raised his sword. Auron looked to Braska for confirmation, received a nod, and also ran forward. He threw his katana at the tiger-like creature, succeeding in piercing its side.

The girls looked back at them, startled, as Jecht jumped through the air and brought his sword down on the Coeurl's back. Braska looked up as the preteen boy approached him. "You're... Lord Braska?" asked the boy as if he could not believe what he was saying. He was relieved to be able to relax as Jecht and Auron took care of the girls.

Braska smiled warmly at the boy. "Yes, I am. And you are...?"

"Sorry." The boy doubled over in a bow. "Jaidan. Your guardians, they're helping my little sisters..."

"Oh. So they are not alone?"

Jaidan bit down on his lip. "I wouldn't say that. The brunette is my actual sister. The blonde one, Ashlin, she's not exactly my sister. Her mother was a close friend to my mom, but... stuff got complicated when a serious Yevonite found out."

"Hmm... So Ashlin, she is...?"

"An Al Bhed," mumbled Jaidan. "But she's really good, and her mother was, too. She and my mother were both killed by Sin..." Suddenly embarrassed, Jaidan straightened up and rubbed the back of his head. "What am I saying? You don't want to hear my story. You're a busy, important man. I'm really sorry."

Braska chuckled – bitterly, not humorously - because of the fact that a twelve-year-old was taking care of his two younger sisters because Sin had taken away their parents. "No, I don't mind, really. It's a very good reminder for why I am doing what I am doing. Where is your father? Is he not around?" He noticed that, in the distance, Auron and Jecht had fallen the Coeurl. The brunette was currently riding on Jecht's shoulders while Auron was, begrudingly, holding Ashlin's hand.

"My father, uh..." Again, Jaidan rubbed the back of his head. "My father was not pleased about what my mother had been doing. He hates the Al Bhed and refused to let Ashlin or her mother live with us. When my mother refused to kick them out, he kicked her out in return. But Aimee and I didn't want to lose Ash, her mother, or our own mother so we went with them. I went to see him in Bevelle recently, and he said that Aimee and I were more than welcome to stay... without Ash. So, since Sin killed our parents, we've been on our own."

The displeasure in Braska's eyes was ill-concealed. "For how long?"

"A few years," replied Jaidan. "But we're alright. Except, they've never seen the Calm Lands before or Chocobos running around, so they got away from me today... If it weren't for you and your guardians... Praise be to Yevon," he concluded with a weak, nervous smile.

"I am sorry for your losses," apologized Braska. "But, I promise, I will destroy Sin very soon."

Jaidan bowed once more and repeated, "Praise be to Yevon!"

"Are these yours?" Auron asked of Jaidan with a dry tone.

Jecht crouched down and let Aimee off of his shoulders; she ran to her older brother and tugged on his pant leg. "I like them. Can we play a little longer?"

Jaidan shook his head. "No, Ai. These are very important men; they have to move on." Even as he spoke, Jecht let Ashlin on his shoulders and began to run around, as the little girl said, "Like a Chocobo!"

Aimee nodded and shyly approached Braska. She put her arms behind her back and looked up at him with bright blue eyes. "You're going to bring the Calm soon, right?"

Braska smiled and crouched down to pat the girl on her head. "Yes, very soon," he promised.

"Yay!" Aimee turned toward her brother. "Then, maybe we can go back home?" Jaidan shook his head. "Oh..." The girl slowly brought her eyes back down to the grass.

Jaidan smiled at Braska. "I guess, maybe, that much won't change for us once Sin is gone... But at least the threat of it will be gone, and our parents will have been avenged."

Jecht had returned in time to hear this. As he set Ashlin down on the ground, he remarked, "Maybe once we beat Sin we can come back." At this, the two girls rejoiced.

"We wanna learn that Slimy Magnet Jecht..." Ashlin's eyebrows furrowed together as she tried to remember the name. "The..."

"The Jecht Shot," replied the man with a grin. "I can see the two of you being really good at Blitzball. You should practice and when we come back, then I'll teach you. Sound good?" Again, the girls rejoiced. Auron did something close to rolling his eyes.

Braska bowed to Jaidan. "We must get on our way, but I wish you the best of luck. Praise be to Yevon, Jaidan." Auron began to move forward, but Ashlin had attached herself to his leg.

"What is this?" demanded Auron with impatience.

"We wanna play just a little longer. Please?" requested Ashlin, her large green eyes widened. This did not encourage Auron; Jecht stared at the girl with interest.

Jaidan plucked the girl off of Auron's leg and grabbed his sister's hand when it looked like she was about to attach herself to Jecht. "No, no. We'll go play back in the spring in the forest. How's that sound?" The girls seemed slightly more inclined to leave the men alone at their brother's words. "Good luck," he called as Braska and his guardians set off.

Jecht smirked back at him. "No such thing as luck, kid. Just skill!" Once they were out of earshot of the children, he began, "So... that girl's eyes..."

"She is Al Bhed," remarked Auron, who had obviously expected the question.

"What?" replied Jecht as he looked toward Braska. "But Yuna's part Al Bhed, and her eyes..."

Braska shook his head. "Correction, Yuna is half Al Bhed. Because of that, she has heterochromia. One of her eyes is green, like the Al Bhed eyes but without the spiral, and the other is blue. Much like myself and my late wife, those three are looked down upon by most of Spira."

"Explains why they're wandering in the Calm Lands," murmured Auron. "He should be more responsible if he's taking care of two younger children. Fiends are everywhere, and allowing those children to run around is foolish and irresponsible."

Braska smiled a little. "You judge him so harshly, Auron; he is just a child himself."

Jecht frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "That's not right. Kids barely scraping by and raising other kids... I can't imagine Tidus being in that kid's place... and I don't want to."

"That's the reality of this world. Sin makes children orphans, and they are forced to live on the streets of Bevelle. It is sad, but true. Of course, this situation is a little different..." trailed off Braska. "However, it adds to my determination. No matter what, I will defeat Sin; I don't care what it takes."

Finally, Jecht stopped moving all together. "It's not right. Those kids, they don't got nothing. It won't kill us to put off the trip to the mountain another day, right? They need somebody."

Braska also stopped and Auron, grudgingly, followed suit. Jecht did not know how correct he was and, maybe, Braska thought, helping those kids would give his heart the strength it took to ascend the mountain and march his final steps to death. "You are right," he agreed, surprising the hell out of Auron.

"What?" demanded Auron. "My lord..."

Jecht pumped his fist in the air and turned back toward the children, who were still wandering the Calm Lands. "Yo, wait up!" Then, he started back toward them.

"But why?" asked Auron.

Braska smiled a little. "Jecht... will likely never return home and see his son. I hope that this will help him, in some way."

Auron understood, but he did not want to. "Alright, but we should leave early tomorrow. I suppose we would not want to climb the mountain at night anyway..."

Braska flashed a true grin at Auron. "My thanks, Auron." Then, they joined Jecht, who was demonstrating Blitzball with a ball that he had in his pack.


	2. Savior

Chapter One:

**Savior**

Note: Any Al Bhed used in a chapter will be posted at the end of said chapter from this point on. This chapter's sort of fast-paced (really fast-paced, actually), but I promise the chapters will get better from her on out.

**Disclaimer - Oops, forgot this in the prologue. I don't own Final Fantasy X. :)**

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**10 Years Later**

The sun was shining bright above Luca as the town hummed with chatter about Lord Braska's daughter, Yuna, arriving as well as his old guardian, Auron, being present somewhere in the city. While those words did indeed mean something, they did not seem to resonate with one particular city dweller. She was walking through a particular section of Luca that was filled with tables and tents of shops, and she sure did catch the attention of the shopkeepers, some of which wrinkled their noses at her.

The girl had golden-colored hair, which was piled at the back of her head in a messy bun that had some pieces of hair sticking out of it like spikes. A thick white headband separated the bun from her bangs, which were thicker on the left side with a little hanging down her right cheek. She was wearing a yellow tube top that did not really reach her belly button; a pair of dark green-blue shorts (which had several studded belts wrapped around it) with some light brown and white feathers tied around the belt loop and a pair of black leggings; a pair of black boots, which both had yellow lining just above the bottom part, though the right had yellow cloth wrapped around the top; and a pair of black gloves. As she moved under the sun, her many pieces of jewelry gleamed. Some of it were rings, but much of it was an array of earrings covering her cartilage and the ear lobes.

Sheathed at her left hip was a sword, which had a semi-straight hilt that curved at the end. The curved part was separated from the straight by a white ribbon that had been tied there. The cross-guard was straight in the center with two u shapes on either side of it, and a silver piece (with an engraving) filling the top 'u'. The blade was fairly long and came down to a point at the end. Despite those portions of her appearance, what really drew the attention of the shopkeepers were her green eyes, whose pupils were swirls.

Then, she came to a table where the shopkeeper was not watching her warily; he was busy with several customers who wanted to buy some sort of expensive cloth. _'Too easy,' _she thought. The action was so subtle that it could have - and should have - gone amiss. With her bad luck, though, the shopkeeper happened to look toward his cash box, which was about where she was standing. "Stop! Thief! Heathen thief!" cried the shopkeeper.

Her feet moved without her command; the action was second-nature to her after all of these years. The comment was, too, but it did not stop her from wincing. Was thief not enough? Did he really need to add the slander? That was a silly question. Of course it was necessary; she was Al Bhed. The loud, graceless footsteps of several guards running after her took her from that train of thought.

The footsteps were getting too close, but she could not for the life of her find an alley to duck into or a fence to jump. She was going to have to jump into the water, she could feel it already... Not that it mattered. For many years, she had practiced holding her breath under water in the interest of playing Blitzball.

Her advance was halted when she hit something - _hard_. As she began to fall backwards, she thought that she was caught, that some burly guard had been waiting for her. She was greatly surprised when something tugged her forward, but it faded as she realized the guard was probably going to cuff her. "Thanks," panted one of the guards from behind her.

Then, she was yanked again and the pressure left her wrists. "For?" rumbled a deep and faintly amused voice. The sound of metal on metal echoed in the quiet area.

Surprised whispers started within the group of guards. "Sir... She's a... heathen." He whispered it, as if he were afraid someone would hear, and said it in such a way that made it seem like she was a rabid animal running through the streets and biting people.

"I see nothing wrong with her," growled her defender. Ashlin felt a rush of appreciation but still could not find the strength to open her eyes. "Now, leave. Unless you decide one Al Bhed is worth your deaths." The scattering footsteps signaled a hasty retreat. "You can open your eyes." The amusement was still there, just a little. Ashlin did so and was shocked by what she saw. The black-haired man before her was muscular and wore a crimson haori, tied somewhat around the waist by an obi with belts on it, over a high-collared black vest, which obscured his mouth, and a pair of black pants. The obi had a jug attached to it by a thick strand of beads. His eyes were obscured by a pair of black sunglasses.

Ashlin had once thought of investing in sunglasses so that, maybe, she could get some equal treatment. Because of her blonde hair, though, she had always felt like people would know either way. Besides, she did not want to hide who she was, no matter what it caused her. "I... I know you?" she questioned; his appearance struck an undeniable chord in her heart.

A smirk she could not see appeared on his lips. "I'm not you, so why question me?"

She ignored him and thought for a few moments. "It wasn't a dream! You're... Sir Auron; I met you ten years ago!"

"Both times I have met you I have been forced to save you," noted Auron. The amusement was gone and he sounded completely serious.

Ashlin blinked. "You... remember... _me? _A six-year-old? Really? You knew me for hardly a day."

"Your story... it stuck with me," he admitted. "Jecht and Braska as well."

"I owe you again, but I guess that doesn't much matter. I owe you my life, and that supersedes everything..."

He did not comment and instead asked, "Are you stealing for your friends?"

Ashlin smiled and shook her head. "No. Jaidan... He died a few years afterward. A Chimera attacked him and Aimee at our camp while I was out gathering wood; it killed them." She shook her head once more, as if to forget the memory. "Stealing is something the three of us used to be forced to do. It worked a lot better with three people, two of which drew less attention than myself." She held up the bangles that she had just taken; they were inscribed with different words for their different functions. "It's only for necessary stuff."

"Hn. You have no family?"

At the question, Ashlin became nervous. She settled for, "Not particularly." Screams were beginning to echo from the general direction of the stadium. She pulled Jaidan's sword out of its scabbard.

"Come," ordered Auron, and they headed for the stadium.

XxX

Inside the stadium, fiends filled the stands and attacked observers. There were even some fiends inside of the stadium and were attacking two players of the Besaid Aurochs. "Split up," came another order from Auron as soon as they entered.

Ashlin raised an eyebrow at him. "Will I see you again after this?" He did not answer as he moved off to the right to assist a group of cowering men. She moved to the left, huffing under her breath, and noticed a group of children being attacked by a Floating Eye. "I could have just been on my merry way, but-" She recalled that Auron had just helped her out for a second time, and he had requested (well, not so much requested as ordered) that she help him. It would be selfish to think about taking off, even if she was going to be at odds with the fiend.

She ran forward with the sword as the creature dove at the children, which they avoided by ducking on the ground and covering their heads. Ashlin moved in front of them. "Hey, big boy, why don't you try fighting fairly?" As she asked this, the eye tackled her, knocking her into a seat. The answer was right before her: attack when the creature dove at her. When it did it for a second time, Ashlin jumped out of the way and lobbed off one of its wings. With a high-pitched shriek (and a gush of blood), the fiend fell to the ground and stood up on its feet. It took a lot of self control for Ashlin not to stick her tongue out at it.

With it standing before her and almost completely weakened, Ashlin slashed at it with her sword one more time and it disappeared into a group of pyreflies. "The monster's gone; you're safe now," she announced to the children, who stood at her words. They turned to thank their savior, and it happened. An open palm hit her on the back with enough power to knock her to her knees.

"Stay away from my children, Heathen!" shrieked a concerned mother. She stepped over Ashlin's body, grabbed her children, and hurried out of the stadium.

Ashlin stared at the concrete floor with disbelief as she chewed on the inside of her cheek. It was amazing. She had just rescued a group of children from getting hurt by a fiend and how did she get repaid - ? Her train of thought was broken as pressure was put on her left foot. A low snarl emitted from the thing behind her and was quickly joined by a few more. A coyote, that was how she was repaid.

Before she could even think of a way to get out of the group of coyotes, the pressure left her legs and the fiend whined. Ashlin noticed a shadow had been cast over her. "Yuna not safe," warned something close to a man. The creature spoke in a somewhat deep growl. A large spear came into Ashlin's vision and defeated one coyote while a thunder spell made short work of another.

She was pulled back to her feet by a large hand, or something like it. Ashlin found herself face to face with a tall Ronso that had a broken horn. His golden eyes were narrowed at Ashlin in a somewhat menacing fashion. Standing beside the Ronso was a tall woman who was about her height. Her black hair was held up in knot by chopsticks and cascaded down her back as strands of braids. She wore a low-cut black dress, whose collar was lined by fur, and a bundle of belts where the cloth did not cover from about her thighs down to her feet. Her eyes were a reddish-brown, and her lips painted purple with a beauty mark beneath it. The moogle in her arms contradicted her overall image.

"I guess I should thank you..." Ashlin trailed off as the Ronso held up his paw.

"Not us. Yuna."

The name set off a spark in her mind. Braska's daughter, Yuna; Summoner Yuna. While Ashlin had not been very concerned with the Summoner's arrival at first, she was now completely interested... and thankful. Ashlin turned on her heel and standing just a couple inches shorter than her was Yuna. Her outfit, like most Summoners, owed quite a bit to Japanese styles with the separate kimono sleeves, fancy obi, among other things. **(a/n: you've played the game, you know what it looks like.)** While her outfit was beautiful and interesting, nothing drew Ashlin to the Summoner like her eyes: the left eye was blue while the right was green. Her chocolate-colored hair was of medium length and some pieces of it on the left curled away from her face.

"Lady Yuna," greeted Ashlin with awe as she bowed her head a little. She did not do the Yevon prayer bow, but she thought that the Summoner deserved some sign of respect. "Thank you for helping me."

Yuna smiled. "I thought it very kind of you to help those children..." She trailed off as her eyes narrowed a little in sadness. "You deserved more respect from their mother than what she gave you."

Ashlin managed a smile. "That's very kind of you. I did come here as a request of Sir Auron, but when I saw those kids-"

"Sir Auron?" repeated the dark-haired woman.

She nodded and stepped closer to the seats as Yuna joined her guardians. "Yeah, I came here with him."

"He's here?" asked Yuna before glancing around eagerly.

Ashlin nodded again as she rubbed her head. "Yeah, but we split up... I don't really know where he went." She looked around, too, but all she saw was large groups of fiends attacking more spectators.

Suddenly, the sky began to turn crimson and the ground began to shake. The Ronso grabbed Yuna's wrist when she came off balance. Her eyes were glued to a balcony on a higher level where a man with long blue hair (which had three very long strands spiked in an odd fashion) and wearing a robe that reminded Ashlin of the one Braska had worn was wielding a large staff. A chain dropped through the sky and a mummified creature was pulled out of some rift before him. The creature was bound by its chains and was somewhat difficult to look at.

As the man spoke, the Aeon roared and its eyes began to glow with power. It looked toward a particularly large group of fiends and dark energy escaped from its eyes and destroyed the fiends. Fiends were running all over the place now in order to get away from the Aeon; it was beyond chaotic. The Aeon attacked a few more times until all of the fiends were gone. Then, with a final painful-sounding roar, it disappeared to whatever realm it had been called from.

Yuna's eyes were wide with amazement, and they caught those of the man who had called the Aeon.

Ashlin's eyes found Auron across the arena. He was practically pulling a blond teenage boy outside. Her eyebrows furrowed and she turned back to Yuna with another bow. "Thank you again, Lady Yuna, but I have to go." No one protested; the whole party was still in awe of the Aeon that the man had called. When Ashlin finally made it through the crowd of people who were also trying to exit the arena, she noticed Auron's form way up ahead with the teenager following a few paces behind him.

It took about ten minutes, but she did eventually find Auron and the boy standing in the middle of a dock. The boy was shaking his head and kicking at some of the cargo, which earned him angry glares from some of the workers. He got a grip on himself, inhaled deeply, and turned back toward Auron. "Will I ever be able to go home? To Zanarkand?" asked the boy.

Ashlin put her arms behind her head as she approached them. "Zanarkand?" she repeated. The boy jumped and Auron glanced at her. "You live in the ruins?"

The boy opened and closed his mouth before heaving a sigh. "Guess it's too late, huh?" He rubbed the back of his head. "No, not that Zanarkand."

She pursed her lips. "There _is _no other Zanarkand..."

"Ashlin," spoke Auron in a way that commanded her to stop antagonizing the boy. "This is Tidus, Jecht's son."

Immediately, her eyes widened as they returned to Tidus. She blinked a few times and shook her head. "You okay?" asked Tidus with his eyebrows raised.

"You don't look like Jecht," she replied as her eyes looked at him from his head down to his toes. She was reminded of the man, however, by the symbol on Tidus' right pant leg. "But you have the same symbol that he had tattooed on his chest."

Tidus was somewhat suspicious of her, likely because of the point in which she chose to join them. "How could you have met him?"

"Ten years ago, Auron and Jecht saved mine and my sister's lives from a Coeurl. The images of them and Braska aren't ones that I'll soon forget," replied Ashlin easily before turning toward Auron. "Another Zanarkand?" Her voice was in a whisper as she knew how Yevonites responded to any sort of slandering of Zanarkand.

Auron nodded. "Another Zanarkand," he agreed. "It matters not. Tidus, we are going to offer our services to Yuna as guardians. Do you accept?"

Tidus nodded. "If I've come this far... I still don't believe you, though."

The famous guardian shrugged. "I can live with that."

Ashlin tilted her head to the side and pointed to herself. "And me?"

"If you continue living your life the way you have been, your story will soon end and no one will be able to help you," remarked Auron as he stopped before her. With him standing over her, Ashlin felt more than a little intimidated. "If you choose, you can also offer your services to Yuna."

"May as well, I guess... What have I got to lose?" she mumbled.

Auron raised an eyebrow at her; he was all business. "Much. If you join Yuna, you are to do your job as a guardian: you will protect her. You think about Yuna before yourself. And, most importantly, you are not to steal anything again. Understood?"

Ashlin nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Then let's go." Auron led the way to wherever it was Yuna and her guardians currently were. Tidus and Ashlin lagged behind him in order to talk.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be such a bitch, but Zanarkand is serious, and I was skeptical..." She trailed off. "Sorry. I think I recognize you now. I saw you playing for the Besaid Aurochs earlier! Before I got caught stealing... How'd you guys do?"

Tidus grinned. "We won. You know, you remind me of someone I met... Rikku." His voice dropped down to a whisper. "You're an Al Bhed, right?"

Ashlin nodded and bit down on her lip as she awaited for some slander to escape Tidus' lips; there was none. "That's... okay with you?"

"Sure. Whatever, right? All that makes you different are your eyes and disregard for Yevon, which doesn't mean much to me since this Spira is completely new to me..." Tidus became hesitant. "But one of Yuna's guardians doesn't see it like that. He's sort of openly racist, so you might not want to mention you're Al Bhed around him."

He was surprised when she shook her head. "Even if I only have a small idea of what it means to be Al Bhed, I'm proud of it, and I won't hide it."

Auron cleared his throat. "If it causes problems within the group, then I would have to suggest you hide it. The focus is on Yuna's pilgrimage, not what is in your blood."

"Man," sighed Ashlin as she looked at Tidus, "is he always like this?"

Tidus nodded. "Pretty much." After a moment of silence, he said, "This might be nice. I won't have to be the only outcast anymore." Ashlin laughed.

**XxX**

A few minutes later, Auron, Ashlin and Tidus found Yuna and her guardians at the bottom of the staircase that led to Mi'ihen Highroad. Ashlin noticed the Ronso and dark-haired woman standing with her, in addition to a third man. He was very tall and would have appeared even more so had it not been for the Ronso towering over him. His hair was bright orange and rose above his head in a tall coif. His tank top was tight fitting and revealed how muscular he was. When Ashlin looked from Tidus to the orange-haired man, she almost had to laugh at how scrawny the blond looked in comparison.

Ashlin was somewhat familiar with the man nonetheless. She had seen him play as captain of the Besaid Aurochs many times. "Sir Auron," called the captain to the guardian with surprise.

"You really are here," remarked the moogle-toting woman in a way that suggested she had not believed Ashlin.

Auron turned toward the Summoner. "Yuna?"

"Sir?" she replied, if not a little eagerly.

"I would like to be your guardian. Do you accept?"

Immediately Yuna nodded. "Of course! I would be honored, sir."

Confused, the Aurochs captain asked, "No offense meant, Sir, but why?"

"A promise to an old friend." Auron did not need to be specific; they knew who he was talking about.

Yuna looked delighted. She bowed to him in the somewhat adorable way that Yevonites did. "My father? Thank you, Sir. I really appreciate it!"

Auron glanced behind him, a signal for Ashlin and Tidus to move beside him. "However, they shall come too. I promised Jecht that I'd watch over Tidus."

The Aurochs captain was looking at Ashlin with interest. Not knowing whether it was the Ronso or the redhead that was discriminatory against Al Bhed, she lowered her eyes to the ground. The black-haired woman asked, "And her?"

Auron smirked, but it was not visible to them. He recalled how torn up Jecht had been over the fate of Jaidan and the children. "Another favor." It seemed the woman wanted to ask more questions, but she could tell by the finality of Auron's tone that it would be useless.

"We met in the arena, briefly," recalled Yuna with a smile. "But I never got your name..."

Bowing for what seemed to be the umpteenth time that day, she replied, "Ashlin, Lady Yuna. I'd be honored if you allowed me to join your pilgrimage."

"The more the merrier," decided Yuna before the others could formulate a response. "You should be introduced... This is Kimahri," she gestured to the towering Ronso, "Lulu," the moogle-toting woman, "and Wakka." That was his name! Ashlin recalled hearing it before.

Lulu raised her eyebrows. "This is quite the entourage..." Ashlin became concerned that she was going to argue about her addition. "But I guess that means that Yuna will be well guarded, hm?" Relieved, Ashlin smiled as Auron joined Lulu, Wakka and Kimahri in discussing their plans.

Ashlin, Yuna and Tidus drifted over to the railing overlooking a good portion of the city. When she looked at Yuna, Ashlin was somewhat reminded of Aimee. She wondered if Braska had thought the opposite when he saw Aimee. "Watch," said Yuna to Tidus abruptly, a smile on her lips. She took her index and thumb and whistled loudly.

Tidus blinked at her. He still looked slightly tormented about whatever he and Auron had discussed, "You got really good at it."

Yuna's smile disappeared. His response was obviously not what she had expected. "You don't sound very happy..."

"I'm... not," he admitted.

The grin returned to her face. "Wanna scream?" she asked. Ashlin laughed, despite herself. The question was not exactly normal... Tidus and Yuna looked toward her.

"I'm sorry," she apologized immediately. She had never seen a Summoner act so normal, so happy. It was nice, and she didn't want to ruin it.

Yuna shook her head. "Don't be. Laughter... It's... good. Summoners and their guardians are everything for Spira, you know. Everyone expects us to bring the Calm, so we're the happiness for Spira, you know? Absolutely everyone depends on us..." She looked up toward the sky with a faint smile. "It's a lot of pressure. When I was little, I learned to smile when I was feeling sad, and it helps sometimes, you know? What we do, it's not... easy."

Ashlin nodded. "Yeah... It helps, a little. At least, it can get you through the day." Smiling when she was sad, which was too often it seemed, was something she had practiced since Jaidan and Aimee had died.

"See?" Yuna said as she turned toward Tidus. "So, try. Smile." Tidus tried and failed. In fact, he looked like he was in pain.

"She didn't say think about an Ochu releasing noxious gas on you!" chastised Ashlin. "Like this!" She smiled but, like Tidus, it looked forced.

Yuna began to laugh. "I guess those are good enough. Okay! How about laughing? Laughing is almost as good as smiling, as long as it's not used at the wrong time..." As a result of Yuna's laugh, Ashlin began to laugh. When Tidus laughed, it sounded forced and, like his smile, painful. This succeeded in making the two girls laugh even harder. Finally, Tidus began to laugh normally. Bystanders were staring at them with nervous expressions.

"Oi!" shouted Wakka to them. Calming down a little, they turned to face the rest of the guardians. "Are you three going crazy? You sure sound like it!"

Yuna's cheeks turned red. "Sorry, I think I really needed that. Okay! We're off to get the next Aeon from Djose temple. Is everyone ready?" The guardians, still looking a bit concerned, nodded. "Okay. Just remember," she added to Tidus and Ashlin as they started up the steps, "just smile if you're feeling sad."

**XxX**

Mi'ihen Highroad was a long stretch of road filled with the ruins of ancient buildings. Ashlin had ventured through it more than she liked, but it was necessary in order to get to Luca. It was filled with fiends but, on the plus side (at least for her), there were also Chocobos. "Djose's really far away," noted Ashlin as she and Tidus fell to the back of the group.

"How far?" wondered Tidus.

"For me? About a day or so away. With a whole group of people, who knows how long..." She trailed off. "I guess 'really far' wasn't the right word for it..."

Tidus rested his arms behind his head as they walked. "Do you travel a lot?"

"Sure," she replied. "I'm a nomad. I have nowhere to stay, not really, so I just wander. For a small period of time, it was nice, but it got lonely after a while."

His voice dropped to a whisper. "If Al Bheds aren't part of the Yevonite society, then shouldn't they all be together somewhere?"

"They are," answered Ashlin. "My mom went there with her best friend when I was little for... something. I don't know where it was or why they went. But wherever it is, it's very open and a lot of people seem to be attacked by Sin there. They weren't an exception to the norm."

Tidus blinked. "No dad or anything?"

"Maybe," replied Ashlin. "I don't know, though. I can't put a name or a face to him, but he may have been the reason my mom travelled to that place... But what about you, otherworldly boy?" She was grinning at him now.

"Jecht left my home, too, but you knew that. I don't know. I haven't seen him in over ten years..." Tidus' words were a lie if he believed what Auron told him, which he didn't. "My mom, she died some time after he left."

Ashlin frowned. "I'm sorry. Of...?"

Tidus shrugged. "A broken heart?"

"This really isn't that cheerful to talk about," noticed Ashlin. "I'm sorry. Okay, let's talk about something else."

"Like?" prompted Tidus.

With a mischievous grin, she replied, "How much you seem to like Yuna. If I can tell after _just joining_, then it must be pretty obvious to the others."

Tidus shoved her a little. "I don't think I want to talk to you anymore." He moved a little faster, but Ashlin came bounding beside him.

"Come on, we're outcasts together, right? You can't just abandon me!" reminded Ashlin. Auron, who was walking in front of them, rubbed his temples. Ashlin and Tidus exchanged a glance and laughed.

He slowed down enough that Ashlin did not have to run after him. Staring at the ruins, Tidus began, "So... this used to be a city?"

"Yeah, a really long time ago," replied Ashlin as she looked at them, too. "I always feel a little odd when I pass them. Sin destroyed the whole city... It's just sort of amazing."

Tidus nodded as he looked around. "No wonder why Summoners and their guardians are Spira's light..." When he looked back at the rest of the group, he realized just how far they had fallen behind. Currently, Yuna and the others had stopped to talk to a trio of Chocobo riders. As soon as they joined the group, though, the riders took off. "What happened?" he asked Auron.

Auron glanced back at them. "The two of you would do well to keep up. The fiends here are strong, and if you get separated from the rest of us, you may not fair well," he warned. "Some fiend seems to be eating the Chocobos here."

"Eating them?" repeated Ashlin with disbelief. "But... Chocobos are _huge_. How can a fiend be eating them?"

"A really big fiend, ya?" remarked Wakka from the front of the group with a grin. He seemed so friendly, how could he be racist?

Tidus raised his sword. "Then, we should help out those Chocobos!"

"Why? They have no bearing on us if we do not ride them," pointed out Auron.

Tidus ground his boot into the ground. "But... it's the right thing to do, and I wouldn't mind riding a Chocobo."

"I can see it now," mumbled Ashlin as she fought back a laugh. Tidus was, supposedly, new to Spira, so he wouldn't make for a very good Chocobo rider.

"The right thing to do, hm? That sounds familiar..." Auron trailed off. "I'm reminded of Jecht, particularly when he noticed you," his eyes fell on Ashlin, "and your friend being attacked. Later when I asked him why he insisted on doing it, he told me, 'It was the right thing to do!'' Auron chuckled quietly. "I suppose he was thinking of Tidus at the time."

Tidus rubbed the back of his head in an abashed fashion. "Well, I guess he had to do something right at some point in his life..." He mumbled this so that no one would hear him. The group continued along the road in silence for the most part, except that Lulu and Yuna were speaking softly. Eventually, they stopped as a girl dressed in green robes approached Yuna with the Yevon bow.

"Lady Summoner, it's so nice to meet you. I've heard much about you." She was smiling eagerly. "I'm Shelinda," she added. "Lady, I wonder if you had heard what the Crusaders are doing...?"

Yuna tilted her head to the side. "Doing?" she repeated. "No, I haven't."

"Oh." Shelinda seemed surprised. "They're having an operation at Mushroom Rock Road. They seem to be planning on using machina for... something. I'm not sure what."

"What?" Wakka's tone was sharp. "Machina? That's no good. Why would they be usin' machina?"

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Auron.

Lulu nodded slowly. "To fight Sin...?"

Shelinda nodded. "Maybe. Either way, they shouldn't be using machina. It's forbidden by Yevon's teachings."

"What if it worked?" remarked Ashlin. "Wouldn't it be worth it, then?"

Shelinda sent her a scrutinizing glance. Her eyes fell on Ashlin's for just a moment before filling with understanding. "No. Our teachings are law. I can see why you wouldn't see a problem with it, though..."

Yuna, who clearly did not like where the conversation was steering, said, "Thank you for the news, Shelinda. Peace be to Yevon."

Shelinda bowed. "Peace be to Yevon, my lady. Good luck!"

As they continued walking, Yuna glanced toward the back of the group and noticed Ashlin's facial expression: she was almost wearing a frown. In return, Yuna frowned. When Ashlin noticed the Summoner literally frowning, she realized what she was doing wrong and quickly smiled. She mouthed a thank you and, with a small smile of her own, Yuna looked forward again.

The fiends that they had faced had not been particularly difficult but had appeared in such numbers that the group was exhausted. Therefore, most of the group was relieved when Auron paused at a building off to the side of the road. "We shall rest here for the night."

Wakka immediately cringed his nose. "This belongs to an Al Bhed."

Ashlin bit back a remark or a frown. Instead, she started toward the building. "Isn't this about what Yuna wants?" she asked.

Lulu nodded. "A fair point. Yuna?"

"I'm exhausted," she admitted. "We'll stop here for the night and reach Djose tomorrow."

Wakka was still hesitant, so Tidus said, "It takes a lot out of Yuna when she gets a new Aeon, right? If she goes to Djose and gets the new one without resting, then she'd be in pretty bad shape. You don't want that."

"You're right," agreed Wakka as he begrudgingly stomped inside. The lobby was somewhat cramped and the walls seemed to be lined with books on one side of the room. Auron requested two rooms from an Al Bhed woman who was standing behind the counter. Wakka hovered in the corner farthest from her.

Lulu and Yuna started down the hall where their room was located with Kimahri, Auron and Wakka not too far behind. Tidus lingered in the lobby with Ashlin. "You coming?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Nah. I'm not _that _tired. You guys are the ones who had the long day."

Tidus shrugged. "Suit it yourself." Once he was gone, a man with relatively long, wavy blond hair approached her. A pair of goggles sat on his forehead - an Al Bhed style that, admittedly, Ashlin had never understood - and he wore a short, open yellow jacket with a pair of puffy, colorful pants with orange boots.

"An Al Bhed traveling with a Summoner. That is surprising enough, but seeing that it is you with the Summoner is even more surprising," informed the man as he crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow. An amused smile was on his lips.

Ashlin turned toward him. "Rin," she greeted. "Yeah, I... needed a change of pace," she admitted as she slightly sat on one of the small tables. "Paehk ymuha kadc muhamo yvdan y frema."

Rin nodded. "E esykeha ed tuac," he agreed.

"You travel constantly," she recalled. "Don't you ever get lonely?"

"Here and there. That is when I return Home."

Ashlin smiled. "Must be nice."

"I have offered in the past to take you there. If you have changed your mind and want to go...-"

She cut him off with the shake of her head. "I do want to go, but... that's not where I belong, you know?"

"Where do you belong, then?" asked Rin bemusedly.

Ashlin smirked. "For now? With Lady Yuna."

"Well, I wish you the best of luck in that case..." Rin trailed off as a thought crossed his mind. "You know, there is a good chance that the Al Bhed will find you a traitor for this."

"Yeah?" she replied, believing him. "You're probably right. That's okay. I don't have a home in Yevon or with the Al Bhed, so it's no different than usual. Take care, Rin." Suddenly feeling tired, Ashlin started down the hallway to her room. She was extremely startled when Tidus peeled himself off of the wall and joined her. "Cred! Tidus, you scared me!"

Tidus smiled somewhat. "Sorry." It faded and his tone became serious. "What kind of gibberish were you saying back there?"

"It's Al Bhed not gibberish," she chastised.

"If you don't live with the Al Bhed, then how do you...?"

Ashlin shrugged her right shoulder. "Rin taught me and my best friend from a young age," she admitted. "He's the only Al Bhed I actually really know, which is sort of sad... Anyway, where's my room? I'm beat." Tidus was surprised she was not angry about his eavesdropping, but he led her to Lulu and Yuna's room nonetheless. She paused when her hand touched the doorknob. "Tidus, if you wanted to learn it, I could probably start teaching you. Just, uh, don't speak it around Wakka. Or mention it to him at all?"

Tidus nodded and smiled. "May as well learn something while I'm here, right?"

"You make it sound like a vacation..." murmured Ashlin before entering the room. Yuna was curled up in one of the two beds, fast asleep, while Lulu was looking out of a window. Ashlin quietly closed the door behind her, drawing Lulu's attention.

Gesturing to Yuna, Lulu remarked, "I'll share with Yuna. You can have your own bed."

Ashlin nodded. "Thank you." She slowly seated herself on the bed as Lulu moved away from the window. After a moment of silence, she said, "So Wakka doesn't really like Al Bhed, huh?"

Lulu moved across the room slowly and sat at the brown ottoman at the foot of Ashlin's bed. "That... is a good way to say it," she decided. "No, he doesn't."

"You think he'll notice that I'm one of them?"

A brief smile touched the dark-haired woman's purple lips. "Probably not. Wakka is not very... observant."

"But you and Yuna's other guardian were already aware, right?"

Lulu nodded. "Of course. Your appearance is unmistakable."

"So is Wakka just stupid or something?" wondered Ashlin. Lulu made a small noise but said nothing in reply. "Are you... alright with my being an Al Bhed?"

"It doesn't matter to me," replied Lulu, "but I don't understand why you would want to travel with us. The Al Bhed are not supportive of such things."

Ashlin smiled "I'm not your average, every day Al Bhed. I've never really been around another Al Bhed. I was around my mother at one point, but she died before I really had a chance to remember her."

"So you are not against Yevon and its teachings?"

"Well... I don't know? I'm an Al Bhed, I don't know much about it, but my brother was really into it, which I never understood. He faced the same injustices I did because he had to take care of me, and many frowned upon that."

Lulu nodded in a contemplative way as she stood. "I suggest getting some rest. If we are really going to go after that fiend, who knows when it will show up." Ashlin nodded in agreement before she slid under the covers and rolled onto her side.

**

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****Paehk ymuha kadc muhamo yvdan y frema** - Being alone gets lonely after a while.

**E esykeha ed tuac - **I imagine it does.

**Cred **- Shit.


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

**Note: I'm officially going to be one of those annoying authors and request at least one review for this chapter. I love writing this story, and, to be honest, will write it either way, but I feel a lot better knowing that someone's reading. Even just a "good chapter" remark will suit me fine, just as long as I get one review. Thank you guys. :)**

**Disclaimer - Don't own FFx.**

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When Ashlin rolled over in bed and faced the window, she noticed two things. One, the sun was setting. Two, Yuna and Lulu were no longer in the room... but their things were, so she was able to release a breath of relief. It had been a while since she had found herself able to actually enjoy a sunset. Sunset used to mean, 'It's time to hurry your ass up and find a place to sleep for the night before the fiends get really bad.' May as well appreciate it while she still had a chance.

Ashlin went outside and found everyone else there, too. Yuna and Tidus were sitting on a hill, admiring the beauty of the sun setting on the ruins in the water. Wakka and Kimahri were doing something that looked a lot like sparring. Auron was watching the sunset whilst leaning against the building. She sat herself on a fence located near the agency and found Lulu was standing beside it.

There was mostly silence for a few moments as everyone stopped to admire the sunset. Yuna and Tidus talking softly and the chirps of Chocobos were the only other noises. Ashlin closed her eyes and found that she liked the relaxation a lot. She was always running around, always hiding, always stealing things... The adrenaline rushes were nice, but they couldn't beat the tranquility she currently felt. "Are you sure this is for you, that this is what you want to do?" Lulu asked her quietly. She admired the woman's voice for just a second. It was semi-deep and sounded like a handsome lullaby.

She wondered if Lulu was concerned. Maybe for Ashlin, but likely for Yuna's pilgrimage. You couldn't have an Al Bhed girl who wasn't used to being around people or having some sort of schedule just get tired of it and take off, possibly ruining the summoner's pilgrimage. Ashlin didn't want that, though. Yuna was kind, which is why it was a shame that her life...-

Ashlin forced herself not to think about that and instead answered Lulu. "I am. After being alone for so long... I think I'm overdue for something like this. An adventure. Besides, I feel like since Lord Braska had his guardians save my life when I was young, I owe him something in return. So... being Yuna's guardian is a good return, I think."

Lulu nodded in understanding. "So that's how you know Sir Auron." She nodded in reply but said nothing as only a small bit of the sun remained visible over the water. "Yuna, let's get inside. We have an early day tomorrow," added Lulu to Ashlin. Wakka and Kimahri were already venturing inside with Lulu and Yuna not too far behind. Tidus remained on the hill, Auron at the side of the building, and Ashlin on the fence.

Besides the fact that she had just awoken, Ashlin was not sure if she could sleep for other reasons. Too many emotions were coursing through her: excitement, nervousness, and others. Auron also headed inside, then Tidus stopped by her. "You coming?" She shook her head.

"Not yet." With a shrug, Tidus entered the traveling agency, leaving Ashlin by her lonesome outside.

XxX

The sleeping situation in the guys' room made things crowded at best. Wakka and Tidus shared a bed, although the latter did so grudgingly; he had quickly learned that Wakka enjoyed taking up a whole bed and, for the most part, Tidus found himself sleeping on the floor. Kimahri, Tidus wasn't sure if the Ronso even slept. Whenever he looked, the Ronso seemed to be standing in a corner of the room with his arms crossed. As for Auron, he took the other bed, but it was obvious that it was not his sleeping arrangement of choice.

Tidus lay awake, staring at the ceiling as he thought about what Auron had earlier told him: 'Jecht is Sin.' But how was that even possible? Was that _possible_? He attempted to shake the thought from his head, but it was difficult, so he thought about something - or, rather, someone - else: Yuna. She had admitted that she was sad sometimes, but he couldn't understand that, either.

Summoners got rid of Sin; Spira looked up to their Summoners. How could that make her sad? Maybe it was all of the sad stories attached, like the story about Mi'ihen Highroad, and the events in Kilika. "Tidus? You awake?" Wakka's sudden whisper startled Tidus a little, but he turned toward his redheaded friend, who also appeared wide awake.

"Yeah, can't sleep," he admitted. "What's up?"

"I was just thinkin'," replied Wakka. "Yuna has six guardians now, ya?"

Tidus nodded. "Uh-huh." He wasn't quite sure where the Blitzball captain was going with this.

"That new girl, why do you think Sir Auron wanted her to join?" Tidus was relieved that he said nothing about Ash's being an Al Bhed.

"Maybe he feels bad for her," reasoned Tidus.

"But she's a thief; I heard her say so herself. Is that a good guardian?" he wondered. "I don't want nothin' to interfere with Yuna's pilgrimage, and she doesn't seem like she has a reason to be here."

Tidus did have to agree with Wakka. "Just give her a chance, Wakka. I'm sure everything'll be fine."

XxX

Early morning Ashlin awoke (or maybe she was awoken?) and she immediately realized that her head was pounding in a painful beat. When she sat up, the pain only increased, but she tried not to let it bother her. She could not recall when she had decided to return inside or how long she had been outside. As she pondered it for a few minutes, she recalled a dream, but she was not quite sure whether or not it _was _a dream.

The "dream" had been filled with Al Bhed and machina and herself. She had been filled with hope and belonging as she met the random Al Bhed strangers in the middle of the road and danced with them for no reason.

Then, the friendly Al Bhed had left her and she found herself sitting in front of Rin's Travel Agency alone in the dark. She was then approached by different, more sinister looking Al Bhed. All three of them had been male, and they looked down their noses at her. They had called her a traitor, and now that she was awake she knew why. For whatever reason, after that, she had awoken.

The first part of the dream seemed less likely to occur than the second half, but she tried to ignore it and instead looked around. The room was mostly dark, still, and Ashlin immediately figured out what had awoken her. Yuna was sitting on the ottoman at the foot of her bed, simply staring at her feet. The Summoner must have made some sort of noise that rescued her from the nightmare, and Ashlin was thankful for that. "Yuna?" Her voice was groggy-sounding and deep. It even hurt to talk.

Yuna jumped a little before turning toward her. "Oh, Ashlin... Did I wake you?" Her voice did not sound groggy at all; Ashlin wondered how long she had been awake.

"Yeah," she admitted, "but it's a good thing. I didn't enjoy the nightmare I was having."

A knowing smile touched Yuna's lips as she nodded in understanding. "Yes, I didn't enjoy mine, either." She stood and moved over to Ashlin's ottoman so that the two of them did not have to speak so softly. Ashlin crawled from beneath the covers and sat beside Yuna.

"Are you... okay?"

Recalling what Yuna had said in Luca, Ashlin was unsurprised when the Summoner smiled and nodded. "Just a nightmare."

"You know what helps nightmares? Fresh air. Come on." Ashlin stood and fought back the impulse to drag Yuna up with her. Instead, she waited. Yuna's smile became a bit more real as she also stood.

Admittedly, besides her appearance, Yuna had not really thought Ashlin was like an Al Bhed at all. She had met a few (including her cousin and uncle), but barely remembered the most important: her mother. Yuna had thought that Ashlin was soft spoken and emotional in the beginning, but the Al Bhed seemed determined to prove her wrong. She had been highly emotional and playful with Tidus, and now she was being impulsive.

Rin looked a little nervous when he saw Ashlin leading Yuna outside but said nothing. They moved to the hill where the summoner had been speaking with Tidus the previous night. Ashlin inhaled the fresh, morning air and nodded to herself. "Better." She cast a sidelong glance at Yuna. "You?"

"Better," agreed Yuna as she sat on the grass. After a moment, she said, "I am... sorry."

Ashlin blinked as she sat beside the brunette. "For what?"

"Sir Wakka. He's a very kind person, you know. He and Lulu have been like older siblings to me since I was little. The way he acts toward Al Bhed... I'm not saying it's right in any way, but he's had his... heart broken."

"I'm not following," admitted Ashlin.

Yuna smiled. "Sorry. Wakka is a good person, and if he appears to be anything else... it's because of his younger brother."

"I guess I understand?" replied Ashlin. "It doesn't really hurt. Maybe because, for once, the remarks aren't directed at me specifically. But, what about you? Does he know you're part Al Bhed?" Before Yuna could ask how Ashlin knew, she responded with, "I get around a lot, and I hear even more."

"He doesn't know," replied Yuna.

Ashlin nodded. "He's known you for so long. Do you really think he'll judge you?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "But I don't think now is a good time to find out."

"True enough," agreed Ashlin as she stood. Silence fell between them while they watched the water and noticed the sky beginning to turn a light pink. "Thanks, Yuna. For letting me join your pilgrimage."

Yuna smiled softly. "I'm not sure I've ever heard of a summoner being thanked for such a thing before..."

Ashlin ground the tip of her boot into the grass. "It's just that... It gives me an excuse not to be alone anymore, you know? Though, I wouldn't say that this is the happiest circumstance..."

"Yes it is," remarked Yuna, "because it means that Spira will soon be rid of Sin, and everyone can be happy and safe for a while."

"I just met you and I think I already admire you, Lady Yuna," noted Ashlin with a grin. She blinked as the sudden cry of a Chocobo pierced the morning sky. Yuna immediately jumped to her feet as Ashlin turned around.

A large creature, with a frightened Chocobo in its claw, was standing atop Rin's building. Its leathery skin almost seemed to shine, even without the sun, and had small yellow eyes, a large blue snout, and an even larger mouth which was split somewhat. The creature jumped off of the building and the ground quaked. As it stared at them, its claws loosening up a bit, the Chocobo was able to escape. Ashlin unsheathed the sword from her hip and held it up in warning as the creature looked like it was going to take out its anger on them. "Well, I think we found that Chocobo Eater..." mumbled Ashlin. She glanced at her right hand and realized that her shaking hand was making the whole sword shake. Never before had she met a fiend this nasty-looking.

Yuna moved to stand beside her. She settled her hand on Ashlin's shoulder for a moment before gripping her rod with both hands. "Stand back. I'll summon." Ashlin nodded and took a few steps away from the Summoner as she began to wave around her rod in something reminiscent of a dance. A ring of fire surrounded her as she got on her knees in the center. As she did so, something appeared out of the ground, between two thick brown boulders and lifted Yuna into the air. The creature broke out of its fiery prison and Yuna was cast into the air.

Then, the creature caught her on its shoulder and gently settled her on the ground. He was quite the sight to see and reminded Ashlin of a monstrous, muscular, brown wolf with a red-orange mane. Despite his appearance, the Aeon was obviously friendly, at least with its summoner as he set Yuna down. "Please help us, Ifrit," pleaded Yuna, who was standing a little bit behind the Aeon. The Chocobo Eater stood a little taller as it attempted to look just as daunting as Ifrit. A fiery rock materialized before Ifrit which he promptly punched at the Chocobo Eater, knocking it flat on its back.

The fiend struggled to stand back up but could not do it. Ifrit moved in with another fiery rock attack that made the Chocobo Eater snarl in pain but seemed to give it the will to get back up. The fiend clutched its claws in fists and roared before plowing into Ifrit. Yuna quickly moved out of the way as her Aeon was brought to the edge of the cliff. Ifrit glanced down at the drop below with concern. Yuna, also concerned, raised her staff. "Thank you, Ifrit." Then, the Aeon became transparent and disappeared into a cloud of pyreflies as Yuna dismissed him.

As Ifrit disappeared and the Chocobo Eater looked around in confusion, Ashlin took the opportunity to slash at it from behind. The fiend snarled and turned around with its arms dragging on the ground. Ashlin moved away a little but its large claws still managed to catch her and throw her a couple feet behind it. Yuna quickly stood beside Ashlin's fallen form and raised her staff. Immediately, Ashlin felt something warm seep into her skin, like sunshine, as Yuna casted a protect spell on the both of them.

"Nothin' like a fight to wake you up in the morning!" came Tidus' voice from the doorway of Rin's agency as he and the others came outside. He put himself between Ashlin and Yuna before putting out a hand to help out the former. She grabbed his outstretched hand with both of hers and was yanked to her feet.

"Good timing," commented Ashlin.

Wakka nodded as he hurled his blitzball at Chocobo Eater. "All of the shaking woke us up, ya?"

"No, all of the shaking woke _me _up; Wakka was snoring too loud to hear _anything_," remarked Tidus; Wakka shoved him a little. Lulu sent them both a withering glare, and they immediately stopped. Kimahri and Auron's combined hits knocked the overgrown fiend onto its back once more.

"Push it back," ordered Auron. Tidus and Ashlin ran forward with their swords while Lulu cast a magic spell in the background, leaving Yuna to work on building up their defense. As Tidus made to attack the Chocobo Eater, it rose back up and knocked him backwards with a slap of its large claw. With a very displeasing crack, Tidus was caught in the ribs by the blow and was thrown backwards. He attempted to sit up, cried out, and lay back down; Yuna cast a curing spell on him immediately.

Ashlin bit her lip. "This thing's strong..."

"Scared?" inquired Auron.

"No!" replied Ashlin stubbornly. When he stared at her for a second longer, she mumbled, "Maybe a little concerned."

Auron nodded. "Good." Then, he was running forward again to knock the creature onto its back again. The fiend growled and, while laying on its back, cast a blizzard spell over all of them; it was not strong enough to do much damage. Ashlin glanced backwards and saw Tidus still laying on his back with Yuna standing somewhat before him in, she guessed, his defense.

The Chocobo Eater roared and forced itself to stand once again. With a second roar, it flung its arms out in a move that Ashlin quickly recognized. "Move!" she shouted a heartbeat too late as the fiend pushed them all to the edge of the cliff. Tidus finally stood. He cartwheeled around the Chocobo Eater and slashed at its side with his sword too quickly for it to retaliate. Ashlin moved in to attack just as Tidus was finishing and met the creature's fist; as he was retreating, Tidus did once more, too. They were both flung over the edge.

"Push it back," ordered Auron once more as, they guessed, the Chocobo Eater drew too close for comfort.

Ashlin and Tidus had both grabbed onto the vines that were growing on the cliff wall. Glancing at him, she asked, "You okay?"

"I wonder how many hits to the ribs one person can take before they crack," was his very displeasing reply. Tidus took one hand from the vines to settle on his left rib, and his right hand broke the vines he was hanging onto. Out of reaction, Ashlin screamed. He hit a flat rock a few feet down and, though wincing something awful, he said, "I'm okay, I'm okay."

She shook her head and replied, "Don't move. I'll come down there and give you something..." As she began her downward descent, Wakka was knocked clear of the edge and fell to the very bottom of the Oldroad. Once she was close to the bottom, Ashlin dropped the rest of the way down. Ashlin gave them both hi-potions, and the three of them gathered in the center of the road.

Yuna stuck her head over the edge. "We took care of the fiend; are you three alright?"

"Yeah!" called Tidus a little too eagerly. "So, uh, should we climb back up...?"

Lulu appeared beside Yuna. "No need. Follow the road, and we'll meet you at the gate to Mushroom Rock. And, for Yevon's sake, be careful."

Ashlin used a two-finger salute in response. "Yes ma'am!" The three of them walked in silence for a while, running away from fiends when they were attacked. This only worked a few times as, after a while, the fiends began to chase after them, particularly the Mi'ihen Fangs.

"Wakka, guess what? Ash here's a big fan of Blitzball," remarked Tidus as he rested his arms behind his head.

Wakka looked at Ashlin with surprise. "Really?" She nodded. "The three of us should play when we have some downtime, ya?"

Ashlin nodded. "Hey, that'd be great! But... three's not even. That would be an unfair game."

"Yuna would play with us," decided Tidus. "How could she not?"

"Because she's a summoner, not a blitz player?" pointed out Ashlin. "And she has more important things to deal with?"

Wakka shrugged. "I bet she would play. I taught her how to play when we were younger." Staying in the realm of Blitzball, they began to discuss the Aurochs first winning game in a long time. "Ya, I scored the winning goal!" boasted Wakka proudly.

"I would have, had I been there," muttered Tidus.

"If you play with the Aurochs why weren't you there?" inquired Ashlin.

Wakka rubbed the back of his head. "Yuna got kidnapped by some Al Bhed."

"Really?" she replied. "How'd that happen?" Wakka glanced at Tidus.

It was Tidus' turn to rub the back of his head. "Uh... Kimahri and I got a little distracted while we were searching for Auron with Yuna. The Al Bhed must have gotten her while our backs were turned."

"Good guardian right there," smirked Ashlin.

Tidus pushed her a little. "Like you should talk! You left Yuna defenseless against that Chocobo Eater-thing."

"Hey, I put up a _good _fight," defended Ashlin as she jabbed Tidus in the arm with her index finger. "It's not like I sent her outside by herself or anything. I took my sword; I was ready. I just didn't think very strategically... Besides, look who's talking Mr. I-cracked-my-ribs-twice!"

Tidus quickly ended the conversation by putting Ashlin in a headlock. "You're being abusive, man," remarked Wakka as he pulled Tidus into a headlock that freed Ashlin. This time, she did not fight the impulse to stick out her tongue.

"Man, how are we not getting beaten up by fiends?" laughed Ashlin. "Lulu wouldn't be very happy with us if she saw us, would she?"

Wakka shook his head. "Nah, but that's only if we were with Yuna, ya? We're supposed to watch her since we're her guardians, so we wouldn't be doin' this anyway." Ashlin wanted to agree with him until she recalled her and Tidus falling behind the group on their way out of Luca and pushing each other on the Highroad.

"Oops," she mumbled. "Tidus, geez, you really need to try to be a little more mature from now on." They reached a long slope of grass that led up to an area filled with carts, people, and a large gate on the north end. Yuna and the others had already arrived and were currently walking away from the gate.

Yuna approached them as they arrived. "How was your walk?" she asked.

"Fun," replied Ashlin with a smile. With a glance at Lulu, she asked, "That's... okay, right?" Lulu looked like she might smile but, in the end, did not.

Wakka looked at the gate, which was blocked off by a few Crusaders. "What's goin' on?"

"Operation Mi'ihen is being held in Mushroom Rock Road; the Crusaders won't let us go through until it's over," answered Lulu.

"Isn't there another way to Djose?" asked Tidus. Yuna shook her head.

Then, suddenly, a woman remarked, "Well, well, well, look who it is." The group looked over to the source of the voice and found a woman who was more or less around Yuna's age. Her outfit was quite revealing, and she was looking down her nose at Yuna. "More guardians? Is this a pilgrimage or a circus?"

"You again?" groaned Tidus.

Ashlin blinked and leaned toward Tidus. "Who's she?"

Dona cleared her throat and stood a little taller as she stared at Ashlin. "I am an actual summoner, Dona. This is my guardian, Barthello." She gestured back to a large, muscular, but somewhat dopey-looking man. Then, she turned back to Yuna. "You make a pilgrimage look a little bit like a joke, Yuna."

"At least she's guaranteed to be safe from any danger. I wish I could say the same about you," remarked Ashlin with a satisfied grin.

Dona narrowed her eyes, briefly, at the Al Bhed before turning back to Yuna. "That may be so, but it matters not. Regardless of whether or not you are Lord Braska's daughter, no Summoner is allowed to pass through to Mushroom Rock Road. You'll have to wait with the rest of us." Then, she and her oversized guardian were gone, starting back for Rin's Traveling Agency.

As they left, Seymour, flanked by a few Guado, entered the area and made for the gate. However, when he noticed Yuna, he backtracked. They both did the prayer bow to each other. "It is pleasing to meet with you again, Lady Yuna..." He glanced at her guardians, at Auron in particular. "I see you have added a few additions to your guardians since we last met."

Yuna nodded. "Y-yes, Your Grace."

Seymour glanced at her with confusion. "You seem troubled."

"Well... With Operation Mi'ihen, my guardians and I are not allowed to pass through," she mumbled nervously.

Seymour nodded at once. "Allow me." He moved back toward the gate and the guard standing there immediately bowed.

"Maester Seymour," he greeted. "I'll show you and your guards to the command center, if you just follow me..."

"Wait, I would like to request something." The guard turned back toward the maester with a quizzical expression. "I would like Lady Yuna and her guardians to join me."

The Crusader appeared nervous at his request. "Sir... That might not be the best-"

"Worry not, I will take responsibility for them," replied Seymour easily. "So?" The Crusader grudgingly nodded his head, and Seymour gestured for them to follow.

As they stepped through the gate and began on Mushroom Rock Road, the sky began to become darker and the breeze picked up. Likely, it was because they were nearing water. Seymour spoke to a few Crusaders as they walked, and Tidus fell to the back of the group with Ashlin as he glared at the maester. "Look at me, I'm Seymour, I can do anything!" he whispered angrily.

Ashlin raised an eyebrow at him and fought back a smirk as she whispered, "Zaymuic?"

Tidus glanced at her. "Wha?"

"Jealous?"

"Jealous? Of what?"

Ashlin rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know. Seymour's good looks, the way he makes Yuna swoon, et cetera..."

"You're wrong," responded Tidus angrily. "You're _so _beyond wrong that you're... Just really, really wrong!"

She patted his shoulder. "I hate to break it to you, Tidus, but you don't have much of a chance. Seymour is a maester; he has unbelievable power and charm... You're completely out of your league."

"Y'know, I was just starting to like you..." muttered Tidus as they followed Seymour up to a second level of the road, walked a little until, eventually, reaching a large elevator-like machina that lifted them up to what Ashlin guessed to be the "command center" everyone had been speaking about.

Wakka glared at the machina lined up at the edges of the road. "I can't believe Maester Seymour is backing this. He's a _maester!_"

"What are they going to do exactly?" asked Tidus in an effort to not speak with Ashlin.

Lucil, the Crusader they had met on the Highroad, appeared on her Chocobo beside them and answered him. "We're taking all of the Sinspawn from around Spira here. We'll put them in a cage over the water because Sin always comes back for its spawn. Once we lure Sin in, the Al Bhed will use the machina to shoot it down, and if Sin lets loose anymore spawn, the Crusaders will take care of them."

"Sadly," a slightly younger girl, Elma, began, "All Crusaders in Operation Mi'ihen have been ex-communicated."

Ashlin blinked. "But... then, why is Seymour here to back this up? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense..."

Lucil shook her head. "That, I do not know. But, what I do know is that I am happy that someone is showing their support for this operation."

"This is going to work, I can feel it in my bones," declared Elma with a large smile.

"Be careful once the Sinspawn are put out," warned Lucil.

Elma nodded. "Things are going to get pretty intense! Well, we should probably go... Wish us luck!"

"Good luck!" called Tidus, Yuna and Ashlin as the women took off on their Chocobos. The group looked over to find Wakka trying, and failing, to beat on machina. Finally admitting defeat, he sat beside the cannon and attempted to catch his breath. "Poor Sir Wakka..." mumbled Yuna.

"Lady Yuna," called Seymour from a gated, tented area with a small opening that was being guarded. The kid moved aside as Yuna and most of the others joined her. Tidus, Wakka and Lulu remained outside to speak with a Crusader that they seemed to know. "Sir Auron," Seymour did the praying gesture, "I am quite interested... Where have you been the past ten years?" He did seem truly interested.

Another man, a heavyset, bald one in yellow robes stepped beside Seymour and put a hand on his shoulder. The man looked somewhat winded, as if he had just gone through a great, stressing event. However, when he looked at Auron, the fatigue faded and a grin, almost a knowing one, appeared on his face. "Auron, it's been so long! Tell me, how have you been the past ten years?"

"Fatigued," was the response Auron settled for. "I see you've made yourself comfortable, Kinoc."

The maester smiled. "Indeed. I am supporting this operation, you know, as commander of the Crusaders..." His voice dropped in volume. "But you and I both know this won't work. We'll let them try and hope and believe. In the end, it will all lead them back to the teachings of Yevon."

"Won't work?" repeated Ashlin. "You don't believe in them at all."

Kinoc looked her up at down. "Shouldn't you be preparing the machina?" Ashlin blushed a little. "N-no, I'm one of Yuna's guardians."

Surprised, he turned back to Auron for confirmation. "It's true."

"Why does Lord Braska's daughter need an Al Bhed to aid her?" demanded the maester.

"Why are we talking about the Al Bhed like she's not present?" murmured Ashlin, annoyed. "Why would you let them do this if you don't even believe in it?"

"For their sake, girl," answered Kinoc. "And for ours. To show all of the non-believers-"

Ashlin's eyes widened with realization before she nodded. "So _that's _what this is? A scare tactic to anyone who doesn't believe in your precious teachings?"

Auron put pressure on her shoulder. "Enough, Ashlin."

However, Kinoc answered her. "Perhaps, something like that."

Once the maester walked away, Ashlin turned toward Auron with a fierce expression. "Auron, I-"

"Enough," he repeated. "It will do you no good if Kinoc declares you an enemy to Yevonites everywhere. Then, you will end up in Via Purfico. Is that what you want?" She shook her head. "Kinoc, a maester... I've been away for too long."

"Away?" repeated Kinoc as he turned back toward Auron and Ashlin. "Doing what?"

"Fulfilling a promise, which is what brings me here today." Auron's tone suggested that there would be no more talk of the past decade. Ashlin retreated to Yuna and Tidus, who were standing at the edge of the center, overlooking the beach below.

Ashlin bit on the inside of her lip. "I'm starting to think that we should have hung back at Rin's with that bitchy summoner."

Yuna inclined her head a little. "I'm forced to agree. This... doesn't feel right."

"That's because the people who are overlooking this don't even believe in it," spat Ashlin. "This, this is why I never rolled with the teachings of Yevon... My brother and sister, they sort of hated me for it."

"I don't believe they _hated _you..." argued Yuna.

Then, suddenly, Kinoc stepped onto the platform off to their right, and they retreated back to the other guardians. "It is time," he announced.

"Sin will... come?" inquired Yuna.

Kinoc nodded. "I do believe so. It will return for its spawn. Just in case, we will have the spawn call out to it."

"Hn. You won't have to. Sin will come," remarked Auron from the back of the center. Tidus looked down at his feet at Auron's words; Ashlin pondered the connection.

"Prepare yourselves," said Kinoc to Yuna, Seymour, and the rest as the cage with the Sinspawn became electrified. The spawn growled and roared out of pain; Ashlin almost felt badly for them. Then, in the blink of an eye, the spawns were no longer in the cage. Where had they gone?

Ashlin slowly slid her sword out of its scabbard as she looked around hesitantly. "What happened?"

"They've escaped," answered Lulu. "Prepare yourself."

As she spoke, something dropped out of the sky and hit the ground before them with enough force that many of them fell to their feet. A large beast nearly resembling a strange, overgrown, mutated centipede loomed before them with acid dripping from its mouth.


	4. Operation Mi'ihen

**Chapter Three**

**Note**: When I asked for at least one review, I didn't expect the response that I got. Thank you all for your reviews! They made my day. :D You don't need to listen to the song whose lyrics I posted, I posted them because they hold meaning to, I think, the death of the Operation and, also, Ashlin's character. Enjoy! :D

_'If you're still alive, my regrets are few_

_If my life is mine, what shouldn't I do?_

_I get wherever I'm going, I get whatever I need_

_While my blood's still flowing, and my heart still beats.'_

**-"Help, I'm Alive" by Metric**

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* * *

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"What happened?" asked Tidus as he wildly glanced around the group of guardians. Suddenly, no one was in sight. A ton of Crusaders and Al Bhed and where were they all? Waiting for Sin, in all likelihood, but they should be focusing on the present danger, not the danger that _may _come.

Ashlin stared at the creature, taking a few steps backwards as the poison came too close to dropping onto her. "All of the spawn... they somehow morphed into one giant creature."

Tidus raised his sword, staring uneasily at the creature. "And what do we do now?"

Auron rested his katana on his shoulder. "We fight." Of course that was his answer. Then, something exploded from somewhere behind them. It happened for a second time, then a third. Ashlin turned around to find the Al Bhed firing their cannons at the Sinspawn Gui.

"Fa femm hud mayja oui du vekrd ymuha," remarked an Al Bhed.

Ashlin nodded to herself and mumbled, "Dryhg oui." No one else lifted a finger to help them, but it seemed that the cannons were sufficing on their own. Of course, that was not enough for Wakka; he insisted on attacking the head with his blitzball despite the fact that the cannons were already nailing that area. Auron and Kimahri attacked the small arms that were covering another part of the Sinspawn that also seemed susceptible to attack.

The Sinspawn's head went backwards for a moment and made a strange gurgling noise. Then, it shot forward like a rocket and a thick, green substance flew out of its mouth. Acid rained from the sky as it landed on all of them, burning through their clothes and their skin (though less so for Kimahri, as his fur was a little tougher than their skin). "Nasty," groaned Tidus as he shook his hands.

"I don't care how it looks, I care how it feels," replied Ashlin as she tried to wipe some of it off of her skin, only to get it on her hands and cause more pain. Yuna promptly cast a series of healing spells which, at the very least, lessened the pain enough for them to fight.

The cannon blasts broke off suddenly. "Namuyt!" ordered one of the Al Bhed.

"Enough," another voice, Kinoc's, said. "Save your ammunition for the real beast: Sin."

"But, what about the summoner and her guardians?" asked another Al Bhed.

Kinoc chuckled. "If they cannot fight the Sinspawn on their own, then their journey _should _end here." Ashlin and Tidus shared a glance that revealed their deep dislike for the maester.

Wakka muttered something a lot that sounded like, "Good! We don't need their stupid machina anyway!" Shortly after, the Sinspawn Gui approached him, clamped him with its arms, and he fell to the ground unmoving.

Yuna made a move to help him, but Lulu waved her off. "Just leave him," she said. Ashlin was really liking the Black Mage.

Smiling a little nervously, the summoner assured the rest, "We can do this, I know we can." Her confidence helped, if only a little. Shortly thereafter, Auron and Kimahri lobbed off both arms of Gui, leaving the group mostly safe to the advances of the creature. Mostly because, second later, it spit another glob of poison at them.

"This thing," breathed Ashlin as she fell to one knee after striking the creature, "has the most endurance of any fiend in the history of forever."

"You're exaggerating," chided both Auron and Lulu.

However, Yuna seemed to agree with her because she raised her rod. "I'll Summon," she offered. Yuna was a good summoner - it was already evident to Ashlin by the relationship she had with her aeons - but she wondered if it was a good idea to do so much summoning before she got her next aeon. Ashlin held her tongue as the sky lit up, briefly, from its greyness and a great bird flew down to them. It stopped close enough to Yuna for her to gently stroke its beak, then it hovered some feet above the ground.

The Gui spat more poison, but it seemed to glance off Valefor's wing. Then, she flapped her wings and sonic waves bounced off of them with much force, enough to force the sinspawn to the ground in a heap. It did not die, but it moved no longer. Yuna nodded with satisfaction and recalled Valefor. As the two creatures moved out of their view, Seymour joined them and the group gasped. Something loomed ahead of them, in the water.

Ashlin thought that someone had dumped something in the water at first. It looked like a great amount of ink or oil was just looming below the surface, then the ground shook and the water exploded all around. A large, whale-like creature was moving in the water, slowly, toward them. She was not quite sure what it was at first, then she recognized it from artist rendering's. Her heart skipped a beat. "Sin?" The words escaped her lips in a whisper. Auron nodded his head slowly while everyone else stared at the creature with dumbfounded expressions.

Terror surged through everyone, though it was more apparent in some more than others. Ashlin wanted to take off very badly, then it happened. "Go!" shouted Lucil as she raised her sword with the rest of the Chocobo Knights repeating her actions. The Chocobos surged into the water and, seconds later, the canons shot off again - a lot more of them. If the sound frightened the Chocobos, they did not show it.

The canons seemed to do nothing other than annoy the great beast, which released rather large, scorpion-like creatures into the water. Crusaders that were not part of the Chocobo Knights ran into the water and attacked the swimming scorpions, but even the small fiends seemed too much for them. Some of the scorpions doubled teamed Crusaders. While one distracted, the other would jump up and clamp itself onto the person's face; it was horrifying.

Looking around at the guardians, Ashlin asked the question that she was surprised no one else asked. "Shouldn't we do something?"

Lulu turned to look at her straight in the eye. "What would you have us do?"

"W-well... S-s-something!" stammered Ashlin.

Tidus was in agreement. "We can't just let them die!" He noticed Seymour put a hand on Yuna's shoulder and became further infuriated.

"There is nothing we can do," stated Auron without looking at them. Ashlin opened her mouth and closed it. All she and Tidus could do was continue to watch in complete and utter defeat.

Maybe, thought Ashlin, things would not get much worse. Clearly, she had forgotten why Sin was so feared as its armor was dismantled and faded into its rough skin. A purple barrier abruptly rose around its body, sending out energy waves that shook the water. The waves were more complex than they seemed. As they spread away from the beast and hit the shore where the Crusaders were battling the spawn, and many of them seemed to be disintegrated.

Then, the energy waves touched the cliff. "Move!" shouted Seymour as he yanked Yuna away from the edge. Most of them did not listen, or react quickly enough as the ledge of the cliff they were standing on broke apart from the rest of the ground and dropped them onto the beach or in the water below.

"Lymm eh dra rayjo yndemmano!" ordered an Al Bhed. Somehow, his voice rang clear in the area despite all of the blood-curdling screams. As he spoke, a machina boat began to sail toward Sin, which was the most ill-advised move yet.

Ashlin quickly resurfaced from the water and shook her hair out of her face. She noticed Wakka grab Lulu's arm and pull her back to safety on the beach. At least, as safe as she could be. The spawn seemed to have also been eradicated by their parent's attack, which she was relieved about. Though, she was greatly opposed to watching the biggest tragedy yet, she found that she could not move from where she stood.

The boat came too close to Sin as it charged the beam that was seated on the roof. Its beam hit the purple barrier and, for a moment, it seemed that they were evenly matched as the barrier attempted to force the beam back at the ship. The moment seemed to last forever to the conscious few who watched, but it only lasted a little over a minute. Sins' purple barrier caved in, and Ashlin honestly thought that it was going to hit the giant creature. As the barrier caved in, it morphed and part of it shot back at the ship like an extension.

It hit the boat with force and the whole thing broke and caved in on itself. All of the Al Bhed aboard, particularly those who had come outside of it to stand on the deck and watch, were destroyed. The waves became violent, and Ashlin was pushed toward the beach and under the water. Finally satisfied, Sin turned around and began to swim away. As it swam, the energy wave surged off of it again and more of the cliff walls were disintegrated. Ashlin stood up in the water again, fighting against the violent waves, and held up her arms as she awaited for the same fate as the Crusaders.

She waited, but there was nothing. Her body was thrown backwards, she hit something, then she saw no more. The last thing she heard was a deep growl as the Sinspawn Gui became reanimated. **(A/n: I could detail the fight... but it would be no different than in-game, so there's no point.) **

**XxX**

The sound of shouting was what awoke Ashlin. Her eyes flew open, and she gasped as her heart beat too fast for her liking. There was a pain at the back of her head, which intensified as she sat up, but she tried to ignore it. Tidus was swimming in the water, shouting, "Hey! Old man! Don't you leave me behind again!"

Ashlin guessed that the toxin's had gotten to him because he wasn't making a whole lot of sense. But it was dangerous for him to be swimming in the waters where Sin swam, so she stood up and moved to the shore with her hands on either side of her mouth. "Tidus, come back!" He either did not hear her or ignored her and dove under the water.

Shaking her head, Ashlin turned back to the beach and nearly fell back to the ground. Bodies covered the beach, all of them dead. Ashlin looked around for Wakka or Lulu or one of the others but did not find anyone. She looked up at the cliff where they had been standing and saw Yuna dancing a beautiful, yet tragic, dance as the pyreflies of the dead flew around.

Though she had never seen anyone, she knew what it was in an instant: a Sending. She had to send the lost souls to the Farplane. Ashlin nodded to herself and felt her knees buckle beneath her. Once again, everything around her disappeared.

Tidus returned to the beach feeling utterly defeated. Maybe what Auron had said was not so impossible after all; maybe Jecht _was _Sin. It had almost felt like his father was there... But maybe his brain was just all mixed up from being by Sin. He turned back to the beach and wandered around the dead bodies as he searched for the others. When he spotted Ashlin, he stopped. "Ash? Ashlin!" He was aware that he was doing a poor job at containing himself, but he did not care and ran over to her.

Tidus picked her up somewhat, putting her head in his arms. As he did so, he felt something sticky touch his palm. "Ashlin! C'mon, wake up..." He did not even bother to search for a pulse.

Much to his relief, she opened her eyes. "You're right by my face, do you really have to yell?" she demanded with a blatant lack of appreciation.

Frowning, Tidus remarked, "I thought you were dead."

Ashlin bit on the inside of her lip. "Oh." She sat up slowly, and Tidus looked at his hand; it was covered in blood. "Sorry. I mean... thanks for your concern."

"You're bleeding," he informed her, and she ran her hand over the back of her head. Sure enough, something - probably a rock - had cut her.

"That's not good," she noted as she stood up and swayed a little. "But it's better than all of them." She gestured to the bodies and shook her head. "I need to get out of here."

Tidus agreed with her. He grabbed her hand and led her to the edge of the beach where Yuna and the rest of the guardians were. Seymour was speaking with Yuna but, as Tidus and Ashlin approached, he bowed and left. "You two alright?" asked Wakka uneasily as he rubbed his head. Wakka, Lulu and Kimahri were covered in cuts and bruises, but Yuna and Auron looked almost completely untouched, except for the rips in their clothing from the Gui's acid.

"What's your definition of 'alright'?" asked Tidus in response.

"Any physical damage?" replied Yuna with a smile that he knew was forced. Her eyes fell on Tidus' bloodied hands and he nodded his head, slightly, to Ashlin. Yuna moved toward her. "Ash?"

Ashlin smiled a little, sort of loving that a nickname had already been adopted to her two days into her pilgrimage with Yuna. "My head." Yuna nodded and cast a healing spell over Ashlin, which successfully closed the cut but left the dried blood in her hair and the back of her neck.

Yuna turned back toward the others. "Let's go." They left the area, and started around the bend of Mushroom Rock Road that led to, eventually, a fork in the room. There were two paths ahead of them: the straight one led to Djose and the one that jutted off to the left led to the Moonflow.

"Yuna," began Lulu as they headed straight and stopped on a long bridge. "I believe, and I think the others will agree with me, that we should wait until tomorrow to go to Djose temple."

"Really?" asked Tidus. Lulu was all about the pilgrimage; he could not understand how she would encourage Yuna to hold it off.

Even more to his surprise was Auron's nod of agreement. "Yes. You'll be performing many Sendings tonight and more. But it is your choice."

Everyone's eyes fell on Yuna. She looked at each of them before nodding. "Alright. We'll wait until tomorrow."

"In the meantime, why don't we find out where we'll be sleeping tonight?" suggested Lulu before they continued to walk in silence once more.

Ashlin looked at Tidus as she tried to figure out what he could possibly be thinking at the moment, then she pondered Kimahri and Auron, the more mysterious members of their group. She preferred to ponder their feelings - anyone's, really - but her own. Still, her thoughts continued to return to her mother and Jaidan's mother.

What had their final moments been like? Had Sin killed them quickly and easily or had he left them lying on a beach, thinking about their soon-to-be-orphaned children.

**XxX**

The temple had limited room - in fact, they were only willing to allow Yuna sleep there, which was fine with her guardians, and the shop outside only had room if they were willing to sleep on the floor, which didn't bother them, either. However, Tidus, Ashlin, and some of the Crusaders who had survived still needed somewhere. Luckily for them, a large tent had been set up with many beds.

Tidus, who obviously was not in a talking mood, picked a bed at the end of the tent and climbed in. Ashlin wasn't sure whether or not he was sleeping because he turned away from her. The one thing she was sure of was that she could not lay around and examine her feelings, so she threw some of her things on the bed beside Tidus that faced the edge of the next to claim it as hers. Then, she exited the tent and returned outside.

Kimahri and Auron were also outside, simply standing around, and Wakka and Lulu went inside to join Yuna. Sometimes, Ashlin truly felt like she didn't belong with them. Maybe it was her blood retaliating against her brain, telling her what she was and what she should not be doing. She was not sure why the Al Bhed hated summoners; she could only speculate as Rin had always refused to tell her.

Ashlin returned to the bridge. She walked the whole thing and then sat on the railing at the very end. No one was on the bridge, and the only people she saw walking the path away from the cliff where Operation Mi'ihen had been held were Al Bhed. They hung their heads a little, probably out of anger and shame that they had failed as they avoided Djose and continued down to the Moonflow.

It was sad, she thought, that they would not be accepted even after they had tried to defeat Sin. She knew that it would have been the same for her had she not been a guardian. Though, she still did have her challenges ahead of her. Gaining entry to the temple would likely prove challenging.

She forced herself to stop thinking the dreadful thoughts and looked up at the sky. The sky was still angry and gray, and the violent water slapped against the side of the bridge. It was very easy to feel vulnerable and unsafe in Djose; it was too close to the water, which meant that Sin could easily get to them. Again.

Ashlin suppressed a shiver at the thought. "Hello? Anybody in there?" Abruptly, there was a teenager standing before her with his hand waving in front of her face. Her startled jump would have caused her to fall into the water had he not grabbed her wrist and pulled her back up.

"I would thank you if you hadn't been the cause of that," she remarked dryly. The teenager grinned. He was some inches taller than her and had bright, spiky blond hair. His eyes (or eye, as he had an eye patch over the right one) were green and held the spiral pupil, like her.

"Sorry there, but you looked a little out of it." There was a large grin on his face and the last thing he looked like was sorry. "You weren't involved in that Operation Mi'ihen, were you? Maybe you're zoning out because of Sin's toxins..."

Rolling her eyes, she remarked, "I just met you and already I think you're the most charming guy I've ever met."

He grinned proudly and squinted his eye at her."Hey, I think I recognize you now!"

Ashlin blinked and pointed to herself. "You... Me?"

The Al Bhed crossed his arms and nodded to himself. "Yep. You're the Al Bhed who's journeying with Summoner Yuna as her guardian."

She still didn't understand. "Well, yeah, but... how do you know that?"

"The Al Bhed are buzzing with it," he replied with a lame shrug. "So, do you have a name, Al Bhed guardian?"

Ashlin nodded. "Sure, I do. What about you, rude, obnoxious Al Bhed boy?"

"Gippal's the name," answered the blond as he pulled on the yellow belts that crossed over his chest in an 'x' fashion.

"Ashlin," she introduced herself. "Were you in the Operation, too?"

Gippal shook his head. "Was supposed to be with a couple others, but we got..." He trailed off and rubbed the back of his head. "Distracted." As if he suddenly remembered the others he spoke of, Gippal snapped. "Speaking of, I should probably go rejoin them." He bowed (not like the Yevon bow of prayer) deeply and winced quite badly.

"Are you hurt?" she asked as she jumped off of the ledge and moved to get a good look at him.

Gippal half-shrugged. "Sort of, but it's not really _that _bad..."

"If it's hurting you when you bow, then it's too bad," remarked Ashlin. "Turn around." He rolled his eyes at her but did so. Thick patches of blood covered different sections of the back of his shirt. It reminded her of bullet holes, but that was only possible if another Al Bhed had turned their gun on him. "Did... someone shoot you?"

"Kind of," answered Gippal, who was clearly uncomfortable.

"Shouldn't you, y'know, heal yourself?"

Gippal waved her off as he turned back around. "It's really not that bad," he insisted. "Really."

"Give me your hand." Begrudgingly, Gippal did so. Ashlin was already digging in her shorts' pocket. She pulled out a hi-potion and handed it to him. "Here. You need this more than I do," she remarked as she put the potion in his hand.

"You're... not gonna ask what happened?" asked Gippal.

Ashlin shook her head. "I could, but, clearly, you're not going to give me an answer."

Gippal closed his hand around it and looked her up and down before nodding. "Thanks. Maybe," a grin touched his lips, "you aren't so bad after all."

"Bad? The Al Bhed are calling me bad?" demanded Ashlin.

"Don't worry what they say, I don't," noted Gippal. "Anyway, I should probably go find my friends. See you around, Ash-guardian." Then, he started down the path leading to the Moonflow and disappeared from her view.

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**Fa femm hud mayja oui du vekrd ymuha** - We will not leave you to fight alone.

**Dryhg oui** - Thank you

**Namuyt! - **Reload!

**Lymm eh dra rayjo yndemmano!** - Call in the heavy artillery!


	5. Truth

**Chapter Four**

The Truth

**Note: Sorry this update took so long, busy busy weekend. Once again, I must say an incredible thank you to all of my reviewers and, of course, my readers. :) Enjoy!**

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The night had passed slowly as Ashlin stayed up for a while to help tend to the wounded Crusader members as well as watch Yuna perform Sendings. Many more Crusaders died overnight from their wounds, so Yuna was up until just about sunrise Sending those who did not make it. Ashlin felt it was a little macabre to watch, but the dance was so beautiful and enticing; she couldn't help it. However, when she awoke the next morning, she felt she had paid for it. Her head was pounding and she felt a little disgusting; the way she was awoken was also quite displeasing.

The first thing her eyes had seen was Kimahri's form towering over her. Ashlin jumped, nearly cracking heads and falling out of the bed at the same time. "Time for temple. I put fish on table." Then, without another word, the Ronso retreated from the tent.

Ashlin glanced over to her right where there was a small table. A cooked fish was sitting atop a red cloth there. "That was... nice," she said before looking around the tent. All of the Crusaders and Tidus seemed to have left, so she ate quickly and went outside where she found Kimahri waiting for her. Then, the two of them went inside. "Where are they?" she asked him as she gazed around, having never been inside a temple before.

The entryway had a large, domed ceiling and had electricity pulsing through it. Statues of past High Summoners were in the room including, she noticed with awe, Lord Braska. There were three doors: two on their level and one at the top of a staircase. "Already inside," grunted Kimahri as he started for the staircase.

Half-way up the staircase, someone bumped into Ashlin _hard_. She lost her footing and, for a moment, thought she was going to fall down the stairs. Someone grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward. "An Al Bhed in a temple?" asked a boy close to her, likely the person that had just helped her. He was fairly tall, and young, maybe around her age, and had short black hair with dark skin. "Why?"

Ashlin looked up at him. "Thank you," she said, "and I'm a guardian, for the record."

"A guardian?" echoed the boy, his expression perplexed. "But..."

A young man put a hand on the boy's shoulder. His hair was brown, almost reddish, and was tied in a high ponytail. He wore the robes of a summoner. "I apologize for my young brother, Pacce. He is very... eccentric. I am Summoner Isaaru, and this is my younger brother, Maroda." The summoner gestured to the boy who had hindered her from falling. "You are...?"

"Ashlin."

"Ashlin, who's guardian are you?" Isaaru had just come from within the temple, so he had to know the answer to the question. Unless, and this was a large possibility, he did not believe that she was a guardian.

Kimahri answered instead. "Yuna." Then, with a glance at her, he said, "We should go."

Ashlin nodded. "Right. Nice meeting you boys! We'll meet again, I'm sure." Then, she followed Kimahri through the door. Luckily, there was no priest around to tell her not to enter.

**XxX**

The first room and, she noted, all the rest of the rooms, sparked with electricity in an almost treacherous manner that made her feel uneasy. Yuna and the others were up ahead, taking spheres out of the walls and putting them in different spots. "This is a temple?" asked Ashlin. "I thought that, maybe, they forced Summoners to sacrifice Al Bhed and other non-believers here. I would have never expected _this_."

"Finally up, ya?" called Wakka from up ahead.

Lulu huffed under her breath, "It's about time."

The experience of the temple was interesting, and also a little maddening as they struggled to find which spheres went where. The 'they' meant Ashlin, Yuna, Tidus and Wakka. The 'nice' thing about having so many guardians was that not all of them had to do the work. Lulu gave advice to Wakka and, when he didn't understand what she was saying, she would take a sphere from him and shove it into a spot in the wall that, inevitably, would solve that portion of the puzzle. Auron seemed to take great pleasure in telling Tidus and Ashlin what to do from afar while Kimahri followed behind Yuna without making a sound.

After a while, Wakka stomped his foot. "This makes no sense, ya? I don't know what to do!" Lulu rubbed her temples as she brushed past him. She pushed the altar forward, into the next room, where the electricity held it above the pit. Then, she crossed her arms and turned back to him with one eyebrow raised. Wakka almost looked like he was blushing. "Well, sure... That's what I was going to do next, ya?"

The second level did not take too long to figure out. After pushing a bunch of pedestals into the wall on the third level of the temple, the chamber to the fayth became available. Ashlin was displeased with the brevity of the puzzle and decided to hang back as Yuna and the others went to the chamber. "You can't stay down here by yourself," argued Lulu.

"I'll stay down here, ya?" replied Wakka, who clearly did not understand why, exactly, Lulu did not want Ashlin sticking around by herself. Nevertheless, the answer was good enough for Lulu, who continued up to the next level. "If we get time when we get to the Moonflow, maybe you, me, and Tidus can play blitzball, ya?"

Ashlin grabbed the purple sphere from the part of the room opposite of the pedestals and walked over to the lone pedestal. "Hey, that sounds great! We're so close, though. What if we don't stop?"

"Maybe if we stay in Guadosalam," suggested Wakka, watching her as she put the sphere in the pedestal. "You, uh, know what you're doing?"

"Not really," answered Ashlin with an abashed grin. As she spoke, a purple beam escaped from the pedestal and went into a wall off to the side, exploding it. Ashlin and Wakka jumped. "So that's what that does!"

They were joined by two more people that Ashlin recognized as Dona and Barthello. Dona put a hand to her forehead. "Great, she's here..." she mumbled before they started up to the Chamber.

**XxX**

Once they were outside of the temple, Lulu began to play around with Yuna's hair. She put her hand on it and attempted to smooth it down, but it seemed to refuse to do so. "That temple really took a toll on your hair," remarked the mage with a smile.

Ashlin played with her own hair which reached the middle of her back when it was down. The encounter with Sin had made it odd and wavy from the water, and sleeping on it had made it pretty nasty. All of the static from the electricity of the temple had also managed to ruin it. She took the blue-green ribbon out of her pocket and retied her hair into a fairly high ponytail. "The temple was really staticy," she noted.

"We shouldn't let Yuna walk around looking like that. She might scare someone, ya?" remarked Wakka with a grin.

"It wasn't too good to start out with," said Tidus as he put his hands behind his head. "She was snoring when I woke her up this morning, and her hair..."

Ashlin shook her head as she looked around at the group as everyone laughed. "I just don't understand you guys."

"Nor do I," agreed Yuna who was trying - and failing - to look upset. A faint smile appeared on her lips, and Ashlin recalled that Yuna wanted her pilgrimage to be full of laughter.

"Then again, we can't have you walking around and looking like Dona. You really should let Lulu cast some sort of water spell on it..." Ashlin trailed off with a grin and Tidus playfully shoved her.

Grinning, he asked, "Now who's cruel?"

With smiles still on their faces, they started off for the Moonflow, which was some miles away from the temple. Ashlin had seen it - and swam in it - many times, but it had been a while since she last set her eyes on it, so she was particularly excited. Somewhere down the roads, they met the Yevonite, Shelinda, once again. Bowing to Yuna, she said, "Good day, everyone. I heard that you were all involved in Operation Mi'ihen, I hope you're alright?" They nodded in response. "I suppose that it just goes to show that I was right about using those machina. Those Crusaders should have expected as much, going against Yevon like they did. Only those of us who believe in Yevon," her eyes were set on Ashlin's for a moment, "can actually defeat Sin."

Ashlin shook her head. "I disagree with you. Those Crusaders were doing what they could to prevent Sin from killing anyone else-"

"-And it resulted in even more death," pointed out Shelinda in a hardened, but kind, voice. Ashlin opened her mouth and closed it; arguing with Shelinda would be futile. "It was a sad occurrence; I hope the Crusaders learned from it. Good day to you, Lady Yuna." Yuna and Shelinda bowed once more to each other before continuing down the path leading to the Moonflow river.

"She had a point, ya?" asked Wakka of no one in particular. "That's what happens when you go against Yevon's teachings."

Ashlin found that the longer she was around Wakka, the harder it was to pretend that she was not Al Bhed. "So, basically, go against Yevon and die," she mumbled. "Awesome." The rest of the journey was, mostly, in silence except for when a Flan, Coyote, or Ochu popped up and attacked them. The Ochu attacks seemed to constantly have dire results, with at least two people getting poisoned each time.

When the Moonflow finally came into view, Ashlin dashed for it, only to bump into two very large Ronso. Rubbing her head, she tripped backwards a couple feet as Kimahri rushed forward to face the two. "Clumsy heathen," remarked the yellow-haired Ronso. Ashlin looked from the two Ronso to Kimahri and noticed that, somehow, he would be considered small by most Ronso. It was astounding.

"Summoner keep interesting company. She keep heathen girl and hornless, little Kimahri. Yenke wonder why," remarked the brown-haired Ronso. "Biran?" he asked the other Ronso who appeared to have no answer.

Wakka was deeply confused. "Heathen?" Ashlin heard him repeat.

"Why Yenke and Biran here?" demanded Kimahri. Tidus had mentioned that Kimahri had gotten into a fight with the two in Luca, in the middle of a restaurant.

The yellow-haired one, Biran, crossed his arms and looked down at Kimahri. "We come warn weak Kimahri. Summoners disappear at Moonflow. If Kimahri not keep horn, how he protect Summoner?"

"No protect Summoner," answered Yenke in a cruel roar. "Kimahri be alone. Howl alone, hornless Kimahri. Howl alone!" **(A/n: I just really like the 'howl alone' line, won't lie.) **Then, Yenke and Biran ran off at a speed that did not seem possible.

Lulu pursed her lips. "We better hurry and cross the Moonflow, in that case."

Tidus crossed his arms behind his head. "How do you know they're telling the truth?"

"Biran and Yenke no like Kimahri, but Ronso no lie," remarked Kimahri. "Must watch Yuna; not like Luca."

Wakka was acting unusually silent, and, though they weren't completely showing it, Lulu and Yuna were worried. "I don't get it. Why did he call you a heathen?" he demanded of Ashlin.

"He didn't say 'heathen', he said 'human'," lied Ashlin. It was a weak lie. Inhaling deeply, she turned around and approached him. She made her eyes a little wider and brought her index finger to one. "This... is why."

Wakka jumped away from her as if she had just burned him. "Wha...? An Al Bhed?" he demanded, his eyes sweeping the group. "I don't get it. Why'd we let an Al Bhed join Yuna's guard? How come no one said anythin' to me?"

In a dry voice, Lulu remarked, "We thought that you might overreact if we did."

"And," Tidus took a step forward, immediately coming to Ashlin's defense, "Auron wanted her to join, too, remember? He requested it."

Wakka opened and closed his mouth a few times as his face began to turn red with anger. Lulu grabbed his arm and yanked him forward. "We'll go on ahead so that Wakka can clear his head a little," she announced. Then, the two of them were disappearing down the path just before the river. Halfway down the path, Wakka lost his cool and began to shout - not in an extremely loud, attention-grabbing way, but it was definitely a tantrum.

Kimahri turned toward Ashlin as Yuna and the remainder of them began to, slowly, walk behind Lulu and Wakka. "Kimahri sorry. Biran and Yenke blow Ashlin's cover."

Ashlin shook her head. "It's not your fault, Kimahri. To be honest, I don't think I could have kept it a secret much longer. I'm kind of relieved!" She brought her eyes down to the ground and shook her head. "Guess that means no Blitzball for me, huh?"

Tidus put an arm around her, briefly. "Wakka'll get over it. He has to."

"No, he doesn't," she mumbled to herself as they continued down the path. When they reached the river, however, the group stopped. Tidus was beside himself as he stared at the pyreflies hovering just over the water's surface.

"Whoa! This is... This is the Moonflow?" he asked no one in particular as he crouched by the water. Yuna did the same as she reached out and touched one of the water lilies.

Nodding, she said, "I've heard that the pyreflies light up the river at night."

Tidus became, if possible, even more excited. "We have to see it! Come on!" He looked around for support and found none.

"I bet it's beautiful; I've never seen it, but... we have stuff to do, no?" mumbled Ashlin as she kicked up some sand.

Auron nodded. "We're not staying here. Come." As he spoke, Lulu (with Wakka trailing some feet behind her) approached them.

"Someone's attacked the shoopuf. No rides until tomorrow," she announced. "I guess you get your wish," she added to Tidus, who pumped his fist in the air.

"Attacked it?" repeated Auron.

Lulu nodded. "I can't help but wonder if it's the same group of people who are kidnapping the summoners?"

"Maybe camping out by the Moonflow won't be the safest idea..." Ashlin trailed off. "Does this mean we have to go all the way back to Djose?"

Auron shook his head. "Certainly not. We'll camp here and have different watches. Volunteers?" Kimahri nodded his head, slightly, in an upward fashion, but no one else. Ashlin's hand slowly went up.

"What? No way. I don't want to trust an Al Bhed to guard me while I'm sleeping," complained Wakka, his tone cutting.

Ashlin pursed her lips but Auron replied before she could. "In that case, would you like to take a watch?" Wakka shook his head. "Then, you can't be too concerned. Kimahri, you will take the first. Tidus, you will take the second. Ashlin, then myself." No one disagreed.

"Someone should go get some wood," a slightly abashed Wakka remarked. "I guess I'll go," he remarked when no one offered. As he started off into a thick curtain of trees, Tidus made to follow him.

Lulu grabbed his arm and shook her head. "I think he could use the alone time." She turned back toward Auron. "And for dinner?"

"Kimahri try to catch fish," offered the Ronso as he stood and raised his spear.

Not wanting to see Wakka when he returned from getting firewood, Ashlin added, "I'll help."

Lulu nodded. "Good enough for me."

Tidus sat down with them and fished into his pockets for a small matchbox. He placed them on the ground before them. "I found this when I showed up in the ruins after leaving Zanarkand," he noted. "I knew they'd come in handy eventually."

Once the Al Bhed and Ronso were gone, Lulu turned toward Auron. "Sir Auron, may I ask you something?" He nodded. "Why exactly... did you want Ashlin to join you and Tidus as a guardian?"

Auron stabbed his katana into the ground as he sat against a tree. He wasn't much for talking; that was no secret. Yet, it appeared that he was going to answer her. "Ten years ago, I met Ashlin in the Calm Lands. She was a child, and had been running around with her friend out of their caretaker's reach. They wandered into a corner of the land and met a Coeurl. Braska, Jecht and I had just gotten an Aeon from a cavern below the Calm Lands. Jecht immediately noticed them and called our attention to them. Braska ordered us to take care of the fiend before they could be hurt, so we did.

"Braska lingered behind us as the girls' caretaker, a boy, approached him. They spoke, and the boy explained that he was taking care of them because his mother and Ashlin's had been killed by Sin. His father was a fierce Yevonite and refused to allow an Al Bhed to stay under his roof. They lived as nomads, wandering and stealing what they needed.

"While Braska talked to him, Jecht and I took care of the Coeurl. Jecht was like a child himself, and he began to play with the girls and talk to them... about Blitzball. Braska took pity on them. He described the boy, Jaidan, as a 'child raising a child'. It infuriated him that the combination of Sin and Yevon had resulted in orphaned children. Jecht wasn't happy about it, either; I think they were both thinking of their own children. Braska decided that we would delay our trip to Mt. Gagazet in order to help them. We stayed in the Calm Lands for the day. Jecht taught them how to play Blitzball. At the end of the day, we set them up in a traveling agency, along with ourselves. We left early the next morning and, as a result, did not see them after that." Auron stopped abruptly, as if he had been about to add to the story but thought better of it.

Without any sort of judgement in her voice, Lulu asked, "And you remembered that for ten years?"

"It was something that stuck with me," admitted the grand guardian. "Statistics are commonly used by people, but once a face is put upon them, the situation changes."

Yuna was fiddling with the pink flower on her obi. "My father..." She trailed off. Maybe she had known that Ashlin had met her father. There had been moments between them, awkward, random pauses where Ashlin seemed to want to mention something but was not able to get herself to. "That was very kind of him. Of all three of you."

Auron nodded. "Your father was a kind man."

"I bet you weren't happy about the trip being delayed," remarked Tidus with a knowing grin. "You, who didn't want us to stay here and watch the pyreflies."

"I was annoyed at first. As I said before, once you put the faces on a statistic, the stories become very real," he remarked.

Lulu adjusted her Moogle doll in her arm. "And then, recently...?"

"In Luca, Ashlin bumped into me as she was being chased by some guards after she stole something. I sent the guards away and brought her with me to the stadium when the fiend attack started," answered Auron simply.

Tidus glanced at Lulu. She was as calm as she always was, but he could just see her temper boiling close to the surface. So, for her, he asked, "And when you saw her, you thought, 'Man, I really have to make that girl a guardian!'?"

A half-smile that they could not see appeared on Auron's face. "Something like that." Yuna, Tidus and Lulu exchanged a glance: they weren't going to get an exact answer after all.

"Nice to know my dad had kindness reserved for some kid," complained Tidus as he lay flat on his back in the sand.

Auron shook his head. "Your father loved you. He just didn't know how to tell you." Wakka chose that moment to appear. He set down a large pile of wood between them.

Obviously having overheard at least some of what Auron had said, Wakka asked, "So you think she's trustworthy to have with us... ya?"

"I would not put Yuna in danger," responded Auron. His lack of an exact answer was somewhat infuriating. Tidus moved toward the woodpile and lit it with a match.

"Wakka, you don't like Al Bhed because of their use of forbidden machina, right?" asked Tidus as he settled back on the sand. "Well, think about it this way: Ash hasn't touched a piece of machina in her life. She hasn't even really lived with an Al Bhed."

Wakka crossed his arms over his chest as he sat beside Lulu. "I guess she ain't that bad..."

**XxX**

Kimahri and Ashlin had moved quite far away from the others, to a higher point of the river. The Ronso had already managed to expertly catch quite a few fish, but Ashlin was clumsy and her splashing scared them all away. "Ronso don't like Al Bhed, huh?" She asked conversationally as she held Jaidan's sword the same way as Kimahri held his spear. Her eyes were trained on the water, waiting for movement, and then she would... The water splashed upwards as she stabbed the blade into the water, at a fish. Her urgency caused her to miss the fish by a mile.

Kimahri shook his head. "No, Ashlin must wait for fish. Let it come to her. Then..." He stabbed his spear into the water and, when he pulled it out, there was a fish attached. He strung it on a rope with the others. Ashlin nodded and attempted to concentrate. "Ronso no like Al Bhed," agreed Kimahri.

"Oh," was all she said in reply. It hurt her, just a little, that someone else wouldn't like her because of her blood. She was starting to feel a little outnumbered by the people that liked her versus the ones that liked her. Lulu might have liked her, maybe, but she certainly did not trust her. She thought that Ashlin was immature and unfit to be a guardian. Ashlin had to admit that Lulu was probably right.

After Operation Mi'ihen, something had changed in her. Knowing what her mother had seen before she died, what she had probably had to deal with... Ashlin wanted to be part of defeating Sin for that reason, to avenge her mother. Sure, Braska had done that much by defeating Sin last time, but she wanted a hand in it. She wanted it gone for good. If only there was a way... A fish crossed Ashlin's path, came very close to her, and... She stabbed the sword into the water and... pulled out a fish.

"Kimahri like Ashlin," the Ronso assured her with something of a prideful grin, which was only somewhat disturbing. "See? Watch, wait and... you catch!"

Ashlin nodded and, before she could control herself, threw herself at the Ronso in a hug. "Kimahri, you taught me how to fish! Thank you!" Her appreciation seemed to be a little out of place, but he supposed that it was because she was an Al Bhed and the Al Bhed had no problem containing themselves. "If only I had learned this a few years ago!"

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**Note: The story only gets better from here, I promise. Hope you enjoyed! :)**


	6. Walk Straight Now

**Chapter Five**:  
Walk Straight Now

**Note: At this point, I must admit I am shocked at the following... I was afraid **_**no one **_**would like this, so thank you all for proving me wrong. You guys are amazing & enjoy the chapter. :)**

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As soon as they finished eating dinner, which solely consisted of cooked fish, Tidus bolted upright and bellowed the statement that Ashlin had expected: "It's Blitz time!" Ashlin stared down at her fish and Wakka continued to eat. "Aw, c'mon, guys..."

A few moments of silence passed. "Okay," agreed Ashlin as she finished and stood, a little awkwardly, as they waited for Wakka to speak.

Wakka did not look up. "Go ahead."

Tidus stared at him. "Wakka, c'mon..."

"I ain't in the mood," he replied.

"Fine," mumbled Tidus. "Let's go, Ash." It was not lost upon anyone that, without Wakka, there would be no blitzing; they did not have a ball. Nonetheless, they left.

Ashlin nodded and followed him away from the group. "We'll be back!"

"Watch for fiends," warned Yuna as they retreated.

The crowd that had been filling up the bank had mostly faded as the shoopuf was not available until the next day. The hypello, naturally, still lingered and watched Tidus and Ashlin as they kicked off their shoes. Nearby was a Shoopuf, an elephant-like creature, sporting a particularly large wound on its front right leg. Ashlin picked up a particularly large rock and nearly doubled over from the effort. "We could use this to play?"

But he wasn't really paying attention. Instead, Tidus had his attention on the ruins in the water. "Hey, what're those?"

"Those?" she echoed as she dropped the boulder and stepped beside him on the shoreline. "Oh. Ruins. Ruins of an ancient machina city. According to legend, the people living there built bridges over the river, and cities and stuff on the bridges. Apparently, they built too much for the bridges to hold, and the buildings wound up breaking the bridges and sinking to the bottom of the Moonflow..." Ashlin trailed off as she stared into the depths. "I bet there's some pretty cool stuff in there."

Tidus was immediately encouraged. "I bet you're right! So, first one to find something wins?"

Ashlin put her index finger to her cheek. The idea was not so bad; it definitely gave them something to do. "That's no fun. Wins what exactly?"

"Uh..." Tidus frowned as he thought. "Not sure. How about, if I win, you have to do something for me. If you win, I have to do something for you?"

Skeptical, Ashlin asked, "What kind of 'something'?"

Tidus shrugged. "Whatever the other person wants."

Ashlin giggled and patted his shoulder. "Oh, Tidus, you leave that _way _too open. If I were interested in you in any other way than a friend..." She shrugged, laughed even harder and said, "Okay. Deal. Ready? Set... Go!" They simultaneously kicked off of the shore and dove into the river. Little did they know, there was someone crouching in the bushes behind them, watching.

The water was quite clear, making it particularly easy to navigate through the ruins. However, the deeper they went, the less visibility there was, which was somewhat dangerous and made their game more difficult. Schools of fish passed by them as they swam, weaving in and out of the ruined buildings.

Tidus spotted something blue at the sandy bottom of the Moonflow. Thinking it was something that would help him win the game, he dove for it. When he was just about a foot away, he realized that it was a sphere.

Meanwhile, Ashlin found herself inside of a building. Numerous books, all old and messed up from their age and the water, lined the sandy floor of the building. Aggravated that she was likely going to lose the challenge, she kicked up some books and, in the process, sand. When the sand cleared, she saw something silver and shiny slightly hidden by sand on the floor. Ashlin grabbed it and held it out before her. It was a silvery necklace with little drops of silver jutting off of it; it was beautiful. _'I win.' _

Ashlin kicked off of the floor and exited via the small hole in which she had entered and noticed Tidus a little bit away holding a sphere above his head. They both noticed each other at the same time, and Ashlin held up the necklace with a smirk. Tidus shook his sphere at her with the same urgency. Then, Ashlin started to feel like something was wrong. All of the fish suddenly seemed to be gone.

The ground shook, and they both looked around as if they expected to see Sin approaching them. It shook again and, suddenly, a sapphire-colored claw jutted out of a ruin below Tidus and knocked him toward the surface. There was another quake and crash as another claw broke what was left of the ruined building's roof to reveal a large blue crab. Ashlin promptly pocketed the necklace and noticed Tidus doing the same with his treasure as they both pulled out their swords. It seemed likely that they had just discovered what had injured the shoopuf.

The crab was a gargantuan with two giant claws with dangerous-looking, silver pincers, eight spiny, thick sapphire-colored legs, a silver underside, and somewhat large (but what would be considered small in comparison to the rest of the crab's body) black eyes. It snapped its pincers at them threateningly. Tidus swam forward and slashed his blade at the King Crab's face in one fluid movement, but he was blocked by one of the claws. Ashlin tried the same thing and ended up with the same result.

_'We need to either distract the thing or cut its claws off,' _she thought as she took her stare from the crab to Tidus. Tidus appeared as if he was doing fine, but she was starting to find a pressing need for air. They had to take care of the crab quick. Ashlin swam forward with Jaidan's sword once again to show Tidus her plan. She swiped at one of the claws, but missed, and the other claw came around and clipped her side. The pain was severe, but it was worth it as Tidus used the moment to attack the sensitive underside of the King Crab.

They both retreated, and the fiend retaliated by slashing its claws, which resulted in something of a large, magical water pulse pushing them further down the river. The two of them were too slow-moving, especially with their swords, to be able to attack the crab. With magic on the crab's side, and none on theirs, they had no chance. Tidus looked up just in time to see Ashlin bolting for the surface and someone (or something) dropping into the water.

Another teenage girl treaded in the water beside him. She was quite familiar and wore a pink and yellow diving suit. The only difference this time was there was a claw on her right arm. She looked at Tidus and winked. Tidus nearly slipped by shouting her name but contained himself long enough for them to fight off the oversized crustacean. Rikku swam with ease, dodging both claws as they snapped at her, and dove beneath King Crab with her claw cutting into his underside.

Ashlin rejoined them relatively quickly. Rikku gave her one glance before throwing a couple of small grenades to her. Though confused at first, Ashlin recovered quickly enough to pull the silver topper out and hurl the grenade at King Crab as he made to grab Rikku. The explosion severed a few of the crab's legs, causing it to fall to the ground and stand unevenly.

Rikku flashed them a thumbs up sign before swimming around the crab. This time, it seemed that she was doing it in order to be a distraction. Tidus and Ashlin swam forward and attacked his underside while Rikku distracted him. King Crab managed to catch Rikku's stomach with his pincer, cutting through her suit and into her skin. She swam further back, behind a broken bridge, in order to examine the extent of the damage. Ashlin attempted to pull the stopper out of the other grenade, but it was stuck.

King Crab swiped at her with its claw, knocking her backwards and forcing the grenade out of her hand and to the riverbed. Tidus dove for it quickly, but the crab had expected as much. Another pulse escaped from his mouth and knocked Tidus to the bottom of the Moonflow. Ashlin and Riku, both of whom had blood flowing from their wounds, returned to the crab and distracted him by swimming around him for a distraction. Meanwhile, Tidus grabbed the grenade and signaled for them to move. Once they did, he pulled, hard, on the stopper and hurled the grenade at King Crab. Rikku pulled out a second grenade and also hurled it at the crab.

The resulting explosion clouded the water and sent the three of them flying in different directions. Ashlin could not see much for a few seconds other than the flying pieces of King Crab. When the water finally cleared, Rikku and Tidus were nowhere in sight. Upon surfacing, she found only Tidus inhaling big gulps of air with Yuna swimming towards them.

"What happened to that girl?" asked Ashlin as she looked around for Rikku but found none. "She seemed to know you. Who was she?"

Tidus pushed his hair, some of which was plastered to his forehead, out of his face. "Rikku, the girl I told you about." Ashlin nodded in recognition of the name. "That wound looked pretty bad, I wonder where she went..."

Yuna finally joined them. "Are you two okay? We saw all of that splashing and an explosion..."

"We're fine, pretty much," amended Tidus. "But Rikku..."

"Who?" Yuna's voice was sharp, surprised.

Equally surprised, Tidus repeated, "Rikku, a friend of mine. She's the one who helped me after Sin attacked Zanarkand."

"Rikku. An Al Bhed?" inquired Yuna; Tidus nodded. "She's my cousin."

"Cousin?" Ashlin was surprised at first, then recalled that Yuna was half-Al Bhed. "Wow. Well... she got pretty badly marked up by that crab. I don't know where she went, but she really got us out of a jam."

"Crab?" echoed Yuna. Tidus told her what had happened. "But you two are okay?"

Ashlin nodded. "Nothing some bandages and a lot of wishful thinking won't fix."

Yuna shook her head. "Nonsense," she replied as she put her hands together and closed her eyes; Tidus and Ashlin felt completely healed.

"Wow! Thanks!" said Tidus.

Yuna smiled and nodded. "You two... Who else would get attacked by a giant crab?" she laughed. "You should probably come back; it's getting late." Neither of them could disagree. The sun was currently setting, and soon enough the fiends would make their presence known.

"We'll catch up," called Ashlin as Yuna swam to the shore where Kimahri was waiting. As she approached the shoreline, he helped her out of the water. Ashlin and Tidus swam for the bank where their shoes were sitting.

Once they pulled on their shoes, they decided to compare their findings. "Well, I found a sphere..." Tidus trailed off as he pulled it out of his pocket and flipped it over. "But that stupid crab broke it, so I'm guessing you won. It has a name on the back, though." He shrugged. "Who knows how old it is?"

Ashlin tilted her head to the side a little. "What name?" she asked simply out of curiosity.

"Krishna," he replied. When she didn't say anything, he looked at her. Her face was the perfect picture of surprise. "Do you know that name?"

Ashlin nodded slowly. "Yeah. That was my mother's name. Can I see that?" Surprised, Tidus nodded and handed it over to her. She poked and prodded the sphere excessively, but nothing came of it. Her heart sank a little. "Not fair," she whispered as she took the sphere and banged it against the sand.

"Uh... I don't think that's gonna help," mumbled Tidus. She ignored him and continued.

It took a while, about ten minutes, but she finally gave up. "I guess... it just wasn't meant to be." Despite the fact that the sphere did not work, Ashlin stuffed it into her pouch. "What?" she asked at his expression. "I'm holding onto hope, or a reminder of what almost was." Ashlin dug into her pocket and pulled out the silver chain; she threw it to him.

"What's this?" he asked.

"The thing I found," she replied. "I want you to keep it. Give it to Yuna at an... opportune moment or something."

Tidus shook his head. "I can't do that; it's yours..."

"Just do it; it'll make me happy," she replied.

"Fine. Thanks," he added with a grin before carefully putting the necklace away. "So, I guess you _do_ win. I owe you."

Ashlin shook her head and looked up at the darkening sky. "Let's call it even, hm? You found something I wanted, and I found something you wanted."

**XxX**

When they returned to camp, Kimahri was already starting his watch and most of them were under their blankets, except Auron, who preferred to sit against a small tree. "Have fun?" he asked them.

"Sure," replied Tidus, who was still obviously troubled about Rikku's whereabouts.

"I suggest trying to rest up before your watches." Then, Auron fell silent, and the two of them tried to follow his advice.

**XxX**

"Ash, wake up, Ash." Ashlin groaned and rolled onto her side as she pulled her blanket over her head. How was it possible that morning had already come? Had she missed her watch or had she just forgotten that she had done it? Either way, she was not quite ready to awaken, so she pulled her knees to her chest and wished for Tidus to go away. Then, she was wrenched upward and out of the warmth and comfort of her makeshift bed.

There was no warmth and no sunlight. Begrudgingly, she sat up and breathed in the crisp air. The night had become chilly, and she shivered as she looked up at the ager teenager. "Tidus, what?" Her brain had managed to put the pieces together: either Tidus was waking her up for her watch or he was just being really, really annoying.

"The pyreflies," he responded with a gleeful gesture to the Moonflow. She wanted to roll her eyes, tell him she would see it during her shift, but she recalled Operation Mi'ihen. If the failed operation had taught her anything, it was to live each day like it was the last - because, with Sin, there always was a chance that it could be.

They moved from her makeshift bed to a thick tree located outside of the circle of sleeping guardians and Yuna. It was slightly elevated and was perfect for them to watch the pyreflies flying over the river's surface. The pyreflies seemed to dance with one another, weaving in and out of the paths of others and looping in the air; it was breathtakingly beautiful. "They really do light up the Moonflow," remarked Ashlin. "Do you think we should wake Yuna up?"

Tidus shook his head. "Nah, she deserves all the rest that she can get. Besides, once Sin's gone, her and I... we can come back."

Ashlin nodded, his words confirming one of her worst fears. No one had informed Tidus of Yuna's fate. She didn't need to ask why, for the answer was obvious. It wasn't right, but she couldn't find the heart to tell him anything that would make him so sad. "Let's have a language lesson," she suggested in an effort to get off the topic.

"Sounds good," agreed Tidus eagerly.

"Okay, repeat after me: E muja oui." Tidus did as instructed. "Good. Tell that to Yuna sometime!"

Tidus regarded her skeptically. "What's it mean?"

"I love..." She glanced at him with a playful grin. "You." Tidus replied to this by lightly shoving her.

"Man," he said as he leaned against the trunk, "you're pushy."

Ashlin smiled. "I just call 'em like I see 'em," replied Ashlin. "The way you look at her, the way you light up when she enters a room or comes near you... The way you have to stand beside her during a battle... It's all very sweet. Besides, you should be nice to me. I'm unnecessarily sacrificing sleep so you don't have to be alone!"

Tidus rubbed the back of his head. "But, Seymour-"

"Forget about him, and forget about what I said. There is no way that Yuna could ever pick Seymour over you," she replied. "Don't sweat it. All this talk about Seymour reminds me... What did you think you were doing yesterday? Charging into the water after Sin was both crazy and dangerous." Tidus stared at the water as he mulled the question over. "Tidus?"

"Do you believe that I came from Zanarkand?" he asked suddenly.

Caught a little off guard by the question, she answered, "I-I guess? You haven't given me any reason to doubt you..."

Tidus nodded. "Okay. I have a... secret. You can't tell _anyone_. And I mean no one. Got it?" She nodded vehemently. "Sin is... It's... Sin's my old man."

Ashlin thought of the man who fearlessly (and more than a little carelessly) swung his sword at a snarling Coeurl. The man had given her and Ai piggy back rides... How was what Tidus was saying even possible? "That day we met on the dock? Auron had just told me about it."

If Auron said it, it had to be true, right? "That doesn't make chasing Sin any better of an idea," was what Ashlin settled for.

"I just... wanted to be sure, you know?" he mumbled.

"And?"

Tidus shook his head and glanced up at the sky. "I saw... something weird. A bunch of Crusaders walking around this tree in some weird place..." Ashlin loved his specificity. "Then, I had a flashback from when I was a kid. But I'm still not sure about what Auron said."

She swallowed hard, as if the movement hurt her. "I don't think Auron would lie about something like this; I don't think anyone would."

"So... we're setting out to kill my old man?"

"I'm... afraid so."

**XxX**

Time passed, Ashlin did not know how much, as she taught Tidus more Al Bhed while they watched the pyreflies and they both traded childhood stories. It was more than a little pitiful to hear how Jecht acted toward Tidus, but he did not seem to be the same man when he and Auron battled the Coeurl. Maybe Jecht was like Auron in a way. Maybe he couldn't (or wouldn't) show his emotions, his love, toward his son. Eventually, Tidus went to bed and she cozied against the tree and watched the pyreflies by her lonesome.

Tidus was so honest with her, and she sort of was. Not about what really mattered, though. She could not tell him about Yuna; it would destroy him. It had been a while since she had cared about a person's feelings. Now that she did once more, she remembered what it was like to want to protect them from something that would hurt them. Ashlin was spared from further contemplating her moral dilemma as the rustling of a bush reverted her to reality.

At first, she did not react. After a couple more times, she slid her sword out of its sheath and went to investigate. All she could see of the path leading to Djose was not much other than the path itself, which was illuminated by the moon. "Hello? Anybody there?" She took a few steps down the path although, truthfully, she'd had enough surprises for one day.

No one answered, but a nearby bush rustled. With her sword raised, she walked over to the bush and, just as she was about to bring the blade down...

Something jumped out and Ashlin shot several feet into the air, dropping her sword in the process. She swore when she saw her ambusher was nothing more than a small monkey. "Man, this whole guardian thing is messing me up big time," she mumbled as she got on her hands and knees and began to crawl around in the bush as she searched for her sword. Behind her, the monkey had begun to chatter wildly and a deep rumble of a growl sounded.

Ashlin froze, but her hand passed over the decorated hilt of her sword. Her hand grasped it, and she swung her body around to find a large paw on what was left of the monkey. Blood colored the coyote's muzzle. "Roaming on your own?" asked Ashlin as she stood and pointed her blade at the canine. "You're not so scary." More growling inevitably followed and, soon enough, a pack of coyotes was surrounding her. She stood a little straighter. "Syh. Dutyo ec hud so tyo."

One of the wolves - the largest and, likely, the alpha male - growled louder and rushed at her. Its paw sliced at her stomach. As it jumped back to join its pack, something appeared behind it and made it howl in pain. Whatever it was then jumped towards _her_. Ashlin held her sword up in preparation.

The thing turned out to actually be a person, a girl with golden hair tied in a ponytail atop her head with two braided and feathered strands hanging behind her back. Her wardrobe was slightly surprising - yet not so as she was obviously Al Bhed - and consisted of a sleeveless orange tank top with two long strips of blue cloth hanging down to her knees, short greenish shorts with an orange and yellow belt, two brown gloves (one of which was attached to a claw), white and brown boots with an orange-yellow feather hanging off of the top of either one, and goggles around her neck. "Need some help?" asked the girl with a grin, her green eyes on the coyotes. She could not have been older than Ashlin, yet, at the same time, she could not have been much younger.

"S-sure," answered Ashlin, who was a little startled by the girl's sudden appearance.

The girl moved quickly, slicing at each Coyote in turn so fast and so often that Ashlin did not need to move to help her. Her swiftness reminded Ashlin of Rikku from the fight with King Crab. "So, uh, thanks," said Ashlin, "but... who are you?"

The girl pointed to herself with a grin. "I'm Rikku. We met earlier, you know? But after that big meanie was destroyed, I sort of washed ashore. Aside from that, I know you. You're Ashlin."

Ashlin was only a little surprised that Rikku knew her name. "The traitor Al Bhed?" she prompted.

Rikku shrugged. "Maybe? To me you're the Al Bhed who's guarding my cousin." Ashlin recalled what Yuna had told her and Tidus earlier.

"Rikku, your father would be disappointed," chided a deep male voice. The girls turned toward the part of the path leading to Djose and found an older Al Bhed man. He was balding, with only a small portion of blond hair over his ears and behind his head, and had a full beard. He wore a light and dark grey-striped sleeveless shirt with long, fingerless, navy blue gloves and a pair of navy pants that were cut up past the knees to show off his steel-toed black boots. A pair of dark goggles obscured his eyes from them.

"Why?" she demanded.

The Al Bhed shook his head. "Assisting her, the watch dog? You should have allowed those coyotes to finish her off so that you could get the summoner."

"We don't do that," argued Rikku. "We don't kill off a summoner's guardians. You know that!"

With a brief glance at Ashlin, he said, "In this case, I don't think anyone would mind."

Rikku swiped her arm off to the side in a very clear do-not-mess-with-me message. "She's Tidus and Yunie's friend; I wouldn't hurt her. She's also Al Bhed."

"Hardly. If she were a real Al Bhed, she would be Home working on machina, or salvaging machina somewhere. This one roams around kissing the feet of summoners and guardians. She is nowhere near an Al Bhed."

Ashlin pursed her lips. "Standing right here, you know. If you have a problem with me, then blame it on the fact that I was never raised by my Al Bhed parents." "Foolishness. It is your own fault that you did not seek out our customs," he muttered as he approached them.

Looking at Rikku, she asked, "Do you know him?"

"No," replied Rikku. "And I don't think I want to."

"Are you the one who's been kidnapping the summoners?" asked Ashlin as she turned back toward the stranger.

He nodded. "Me and other Al Bhed, foolish girl. I bet you do not even understand. Moreover, I bet you are like the rest of the fools in this world. You probably believe that the sacrifices summoners make are worthwhile."

"Of course I don't," argued Ashlin. "And who are you to tell me what I believe?"

He shook his head. "If that is the case, then you are even more foolish than I expected. You must believe that this pilgrimage will make you something. It will not. You will remain nothing in either world aside from a traitor to your blood."

Ashlin narrowed her eyes at him. "So, are you here to disillusion me, lecture Rikku, or try to kidnap my summoner?"

"A little of the second, perhaps," decided the man who was standing too close for comfort. He reached out so suddenly that neither girl detected the movement. He moved with the same speed as her. "I came to see you," he admitted as his hand closed around her throat. "I had to see the traitor for myself and teach her a lesson. My sons, they sought to end Sin without sacrificing more summoners. Both of them were killed in Operation Mi'ihen. Sin didn't kill them; it was the Yevonites that were covering up their tracks. Bastards."

"Let her go!" Rikku's claw clipped one of his arms, slicing through the cloth of his glove and his skin. He dropped her and cradled his injured arm in his hand.

With an eyebrow raised, he asked of Rikku, "So, you are going to remain here and join this traitor?"

"I am going to find a way to protect my cousin," replied Rikku. "What's your name?"

Chuckling, he responded, "It matters not. The two of you, oui fymg y cmebbano cmuba." Without another word, he left and Ashlin was reminded of her nightmare a few days earlier.

"You okay?" asked Rikku once she was sure that the Al Bhed was gone.

Ashlin nodded as she rubbed her throat. "I think so. Thanks. If you hadn't been here, I don't know what I would have done."

"What a big, weirdo-meanie," remarked Rikku.

Ashlin nodded her agreement. "The Al Bhed have been kidnapping summoners?"

"Yeah. Like he said, it's so that they don't have to sacrifice themselves."

"But you're not going to kidnap Yuna?"

Rikku thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "Nope. I know that I don't stand a chance," she admitted. "Buuut, at the very least, I can be by her side and try to find another way, you know? It's better than nothing."

"Another way?"

"Yeah," replied Rikku. "There has to be one, right? Maybe a more permanent solution. I have to hope so for Yunie's sake. So..." She linked her arms behind her back and swayed from side to side. "Do you think I'll be allowed to be a guardian?"

Ashlin smiled. "If they let me, they'll let you for sure! You're family! But I think that someone's going to have to approve of it, and I think that someone is about ready to take his watch." Her eyes had drifted to where the camp was.

Confused, Rikku asked, "Huh?" Her eyes followed Ashlin's and settled on Auron, who was watching them from the edge of the path. "Ooh. He looks kinda mean..."

Auron chuckled. It was deep, handsome and did not last very long. "You may be about to find out."

* * *

**Syh. Dutyo ec hud so tyo. **- Man. Today is not my day.

**oui fymg y cmebbano cmuba **- You walk a slippery slope.


	7. Compromise

**Chapter Six**:  
Compromise

**Note:** Once again, thank you to my readers and reviewers; you guys rock. :)

Disclaimer - I don't own FFX.

_**'Now I've got a feeling**_

_**If I sang this loud enough, **_

_**You would sing it back to me.'**_

-"Where The Lines Overlap" by Paramore

* * *

"Ashlin." The way Auron spoke told her that she was in for a lecture. "The next time you're taking a watch, it is important that you stay near the group that you are watching." Maybe he wasn't going to completely lecture her after all.

With a frown, she pointed out, "I didn't leave because I wanted to. I heard something in the bushes. It turns out that it was only a monkey, but then a pack of wolves appeared, and Rikku showed up and helped me, then-"

Auron held up a hand. "I don't need to hear all of the details." Then, he turned toward Rikku with a hard look in his eyes. His sunglasses had been discarded, likely due to the fact that there was no sun. "You are?"

"R-Rikku, Yunie's cousin," she added in order to get herself on better terms.

"And you want to be a guardian as well?" he guessed. She nodded. "Hn. She already has six."

At that point, Rikku smiled. It was charming and sort of adorable, but Ashlin wasn't sure if the charm would work on Auron. "Seven's a lucky number, right?" There was a moment of silence which was interrupted by Auron's chuckle.

"Yuna's cousin?" he echoed; Rikku nodded her head earnestly. Of course, he knew that Yuna would have Al Bhed relatives, but...

"She's telling the truth. Yuna told Tidus and I earlier," offered Ashlin. Rikku flashed her an appreciative grin.

Auron nodded. "Very well. Yuna can make a decision in the morning."

Rikku groaned and rested her arms behind her head. "I have to wait until the morning?"

"Unless you'd rather not join after all?" asked Auron.

Rikku shook her head vehemently. "No, no! I'll wait!" She turned to her left just in time to see Ashlin sneaking back to her spot by the river and grabbed her arm. "Please don't leave me alone with him," she begged in a whisper.

Rolling her eyes, Ashlin nodded (mostly because Rikku's grip was too tight on her arm for her to escape) and sat back down by the tree. Auron was sitting against the tree, too, so Rikku was forced to sit between them. Ashlin's blanket had remained by the tree, too, so she grabbed it and pulled it over her legs. In no time, she was asleep.

After a while, the silence became way too much for Rikku. "So, uh, you were the guard for my Uncle Braska, weren't you?"

"Hn," was Auron's only reply.

"When we visited Yunie in Bevelle when I was little, I always thought he was nice," remarked Rikku. "The other Yevonites weren't, though." Auron did not respond. Rikku groaned and stretched her legs out in the sand before her. "My pops hated visiting. He only did it because I begged him to." No response. "You're such a killjoy!" she complained.

"I do not see the point of mindless banter."

Rikku frowned. "It's not _mindless_. I'm telling you stuff about me so... you think I'm a more suitable guardian."

Auron chuckled. "In that case, that will not help you."

"But... but...!" she stammered. "Then, what will, huh?"

"We can't afford another careless guardian. We already have two, your friends," he informed her.

Rikku turned toward him with a serious look in her eyes. "She's my cousin. I would never be careless!"

"Tidus loves Yuna, yet he is still careless," he pointed out.

"What else?" she demanded.

"You have to prove your worth. What can you do?"

Rikku smiled proudly. "I can steal-"

"As can Ashlin, and I want neither of that done."

She shook her head. "No, no. From fiends and stuff, you know? And I can also easily dismantle machina because I know how they're put together. I'm super fast, too!" Rikku widened her eyes a little; Auron was reminded of a seven-year-old Ashlin doing the same. "Come on, what do you say?"

"If I did not want you here, you would not currently be sitting beside me," stated the ex-guardian. "Yuna gets the final decision."

Rikku blinked a few times. "So, wait. Yes? You say yes?" Auron nodded. She pumped her fist in one air and almost hugged him. Almost. A sharp glare from Auron told her that it would not be a good idea, so she restrained herself. "You won't regret it, promise!"

"We'll see."

**XxX**

Morning could not have come soon enough. The first one to rise when the sky began to lighten up was Kimahri, who glanced at Rikku's slumbering form quizzically. Or, at least, what Auron deemed was a Ronso's quizzical expression; it barely differed from his regular one. The only difference was that he stared at Rikku for a while. "Yuna's cousin," informed Auron.

Kimahri nodded. "Kimahri catch fish for breakfast." Without another word, he started up the stream with his spear in hand.

Auron turned toward Rikku. Although she knew that he would not respond to her in any form, she had decided to talk his ear off for a few hours before she finally fell asleep. She had taken part of Ashlin's blanket and fallen asleep on the other girl's shoulder. At least, she had tried. Ashlin was quite a deal taller than her, so it was quite a feat for Rikku's head to reach her shoulder. She was, Auron had decided, interesting and different.

Her and Ashlin had similar traits, but Rikku seemed to be constantly bubbly and hyper. Perhaps all Al Bhed were like that; he did not know. Rikku looked very comfortable now. Ashlin was sleeping on her side, and Rikku was piled on top of her like two pups in a pack. He almost felt bad for waking her, but...

What? He had to catch himself now. He felt badly for waking her? Auron did not know the girl. They had just met some hours earlier. For him to feel anything towards the girl was barbaric. He willed the strange, foreign thoughts to leave his mind as he reached out and nudged her. Rikku groaned and covered her face with her arm, so he did it again. Finally, her eyes flew open and she slowly sat up and looked at him. "Yunie decide yet?" she asked in a groggy voice, her eyes full of sleep.

"No," he replied. "Make yourself useful and get some firewood."

Rikku yawned and stretched her arms over her head. She did not so much as argue and, instead, turned toward Ashlin. After a few nudges, Ashlin also awoke. "Let's get firewood," she mumbled before pulling the older girl to her feet. Ashlin nearly toppled back over as soon as she was standing. At the last possible second, Ashlin had the mindset to grab her sword, then the two of them disappeared into the throng of trees.

Ashlin's mind became less foggy almost immediately as they prowled the area for fallen trees or chunks of wood. She glanced over her shoulder at Rikku, who was trailing behind, her mind still tired. _'It's weird. I just met the girl yesterday and already we have some sort of bond. Maybe it's because I'm Al Bhed, so I'm sort of familiar.' _It was nice; it was the closest she had ever felt to having family in a long time.

Back at the camp, Lulu was awake and sitting by the dead fire. She gazed across it to look at Auron. "I noticed that we have a new addition."

"Hn," he agreed.

"Another Al Bhed? Did you meet her ten years ago, as well?" she questioned. It was difficult to tell when Lulu was annoyed. She may have just been skeptical; Ashlin and Tidus were already handfuls.

Auron shook his head. "Yuna's cousin?"

"Her cousin?" echoed the mage. Naturally, Yuna would have an Al Bhed cousin. "I see."

"It's up to Yuna whether or not the girl stays."

Lulu raised an eyebrow. "You have no personal interest in this one?"

"None."

**XxX**

By the time Rikku and Ashlin returned, Kimahri had also returned and everyone was awake. Rikku dropped all of the wood she was carrying when she saw Yuna and launched herself across the camp to envelop her cousin in a tight hug. "Rikku," breathed the summoner with surprise.

"Yunie! Yunie, it's been so long!" Rikku held onto her cousin for a few more seconds before finally allowing her to breathe. She released her and sat back on her knees.

Wakka raised his eyebrows. "Do you know her?" he asked, unnecessarily, of Yuna.

Yuna opened her mouth and closed it, clearly flustered. She stared at the ground as Ashlin piled the wood and Tidus lit the fire. Rikku looked from Yuna and Wakka with a perplexed expression. "She is... my cousin."

"Your cousin?" exclaimed Wakka as he jumped up. "But she's _Al Bhed_!"

Yuna inhaled deeply and nodded. "I'm half-Al Bhed. My mother was Al Bhed."

Wakka looked around at the others to see if they were astonished or confused by the news; no one was. He stopped his foot. "You knew? All of you? How could I be that only person who didn't know?"

"Well," began Lulu dryly, "we thought you'd overreact."

"W-well... Yeah! It's a _big _deal!"

Ashlin raised an eyebrow. She was sitting before the fire with a shish-kabobed fish roasting. "Is it really? You've known Yuna for how long? Does it change how you feel about her?"

Wakka rubbed the back of his head. "N-n-not really," he sputtered. "But she wasn't raised an Al Bhed, and neither were you, ya? But her-" His eyes fell upon Rikku.

Yuna chose to ignore Wakka. "Rikku, what is it you want?"

Rikku seemed nervous as she answered. "I want to join you... as a guardian, Yunie?"

"Are you sure?" asked the summoner; Rikku nodded earnestly. Yuna smiled. "Of course you can join, Rikku."

It almost seemed like Rikku had expected a different answer. She shot to her feet, dancing from side to side. "You mean it, Yunie? I'm so excited! I'll be the best guardian you've ever had, promise!" she added, mostly to Auron, who smirked.

Silence fell over the group as everyone ate the fish Kimahri had caught. Once everyone finished, Yuna asked, "So, shall we go, then?" They started down the riverside toward the Shoopuf, who looked to be in much better condition than the previous day.

Rikku joined Ashlin and Tidus in their formation at the back of the group. She was fidgeting and staring at her boots. "I really want this, you know? And I'm used to being hated and stuff, but... Usually I can get away from that. Now? Not so much." Ashlin nodded in empathy as her eyes found Wakka storming in front of the rest of the group. The Al Bhed shook her head as a smile touched her face, and she looked up at the sky. "But I'll make it worth it. For Yunie's sake."

"Well, I think she's already in pretty good hands with the rest of us, so you really don't have to beat yourself up to do this," noted Tidus from the right of Ashlin.

Rikku's eyebrows furrowed together as she looked at Ashlin, who shook her head and mouthed, "He doesn't know." Rikku nodded and pursed her lips in a look of displeasure.

"I'm really surprised at how Wakka acts about you guys being Al Bhed. He seemed so different when I first met him," remarked Tidus.

"Everyone has their secrets," stated Auron from where he walked just ahead of them. "Get on," he added as Yuna, Lulu, Kimahri and Wakka were already on the shoopuf. Ashlin and Rikku sat on the bench across from Yuna, Kimahri and Wakka (who was obviously trying to get very far from them) while Tidus, Lulu and Auron sat on the benches adjacent to them. They rode in an uncomfortable silence with Wakka folding his arms and glaring over Ashlin and Rikku's heads. Normally, Ashlin enjoyed the ride across the Moonflow (when she could afford it, of course), but the tense atmosphere made it dreadful.

Once they touched down on the other side of the river, Wakka stormed ahead of everyone again, but Lulu joined him this time. No doubt, she was trying to calm him down once more. "Hey, Rikku, can I ask you a question?" asked Ashlin suddenly.

Rikku looked over to her. "Shoot!"

"Where do all of the Al Bhed live? They all live together somewhere, right?"

"Yeah," replied Rikku a little uneasily. "I'd like to tell you, but..."

Ashlin nodded. "It's a well-kept secret; I understand. Did you ever know of or hear of a Krishna?"

Rikku's eyebrows furrowed together. What Ashlin was asking was a lot considering the amount of Al Bhed that lived on Bikanel Island. The name did strike a chord in her mind, though she had been young when it had happened. "I think so. A long time ago, her and another woman came to... our Home. They stayed for about a day or so, then they left to go back somewhere and, on their way out to the sea, they were attacked by Sin. My pops buried them near Home out of respect."

Ashlin's heart skipped a beat. "Really?"

"Yeah. I was little when it happened, but he told me about it once. I've seen the stone a few times, so I remembered the name. Was she... your mom?" asked Rikku; Ashlin nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Me too," mumbled Ashlin. "Your dad didn't happen to know why she went there, did he?" Rikku shook her head. "Gotcha." Eventually, the group reached a path that led away from the river, and Ashlin immediately missed it. The path was filled with fiends, so Rikku made to sure to move to the front lines of every battle in order to, likely, prove herself to the others. She was exhausted by the time they reached the end of the path. At the end, they came to a slope that led into Guadosalam, a city that Ashlin always passed through quickly.

This time, she was not so lucky. An old Guado with green hair that spiked, somewhat, into different directions and a thick beard approached them with an eager smile. "Lady Yuna," he greeted as he did the praying bow to her. "I am servant to Lord Seymour, Tromell Guado. Maester Seymour would like to have an audience with you." Wakka cleared his throat. "And, of course, you guardians as well," he added.

"Seymour lives here?" demanded Tidus.

Lulu, always patient, replied, "This is Guadosalam, the city of the Guado. They all live here."

"Oh. Right," muttered Tidus, clearly unhappy that Seymour's home happened to be in the path of Yuna's pilgrimage. "Go figure." They followed Tromell to the city's main attraction, a large mansion with a red gate. The manor was not quite as large as what Ashlin had always expected. There were only two floors, the first of which had only one door. The second floor had two staircases leading up to it, with portraits of past Guado leaders hanging above them. Tromell led them into a large room on the first floor that was filled with many tables covered with food.

"I will tell Lord Seymour of your arrival. Please wait here." Then, the old man was gone.

Rikku immediately ran for the food and Ashlin, who had never seen so many luxurious cuisines in her life, joined her. "You two aren't very polite," noticed Tidus as he joined them but did not eat.

"If they didn't want us to eat, they wouldn't have all this food here!" pointed out Rikku.

Ashlin nodded. "It is a _lot _of food, though. What could Seymour be up to?" She bit her lip. There were many occasions for a grand feast, mostly celebrations: birthdays, celebrating the Calm, celebrating any great endeavor and, of course, weddings and engagements... She choked on a delicate sandwich that she had been devouring; Tidus hit her on the back a few times. "If I'm right about what I'm thinking, then I don't think you'll like it when Seymour shows up," choked out Ashlin, leaving Tidus look concerned. She downed the remnants of food with some tomato juice.

Tromell returned promptly with Seymour standing behind him. "Welcome to my home," greeted Seymour with the prayer bow.

"You requested my presence?" inquired Yuna.

Seymour nodded, smiling. "We have time, do we not? Get comfortable, please. Make yourselves at home." The smile mostly disappeared as he noticed Ashlin and Rikku eating like it was their last meal. "I see some of you have already done so."

"We're on a pilgrimage," remarked Auron. "Yuna must continue."

Seymour's smile disappeared completely. "Indeed, forgive me. Come, I have something to show you all." He moved to the north end of the room, which had something of a terrace. He stood on it and held out a hand for Yuna to join him. Once she took his hand, something wondrous happened. Pyreflies flew around them and, soon enough, disappeared as bright lights shot out of nowhere, forming a completely different scene.

Gargantuan, lit up buildings appeared out of nowhere. Thick streets made of asphalt materialized, as did chattering pedestrians and fountains. Water ran from the tops of some buildings like beautiful waterfalls. "Zanarkand!" Ashlin heard Tidus breathe from beside her.

"Correct. This is the ancient machina city, Zanarkand. This is how it once looked over one thousand years ago," informed Seymour as they floated around the beautiful city like birds.

Lulu, for once, seemed truly surprised and in awe. "How did you do this?"

"This is a sphere from the thoughts of the dead living in the Farplane," answered Seymour. "This is their memory of this place." Rikku reached out to touch one of the waterfalls, and Tidus looked as if he might try to detach himself from the group and join the pedestrians; even Auron looked impressed. "A wonderful woman once lived here."

Ashlin heard a dry chuckle from her other side. Auron's reaction to the city had faded, and he was now smirking, but she did not understand why. "Who?" prompted Tidus, who was paying more attention to the city and less to Seymour.

Seymour glanced at him, briefly; it certainly was not a look of love. He did not answer. The scene changed, and they found themselves in a grand bedroom with a king-sized, canopied bed. A golden chandelier was hanging from the ceiling. Sitting on a red-brown ottoman at the foot of the bed was a woman with long white hair wearing a black bikini. She looked sad. "Lady Yunalesca," cried Yuna with surprise and delight.

Seymour smiled and nodded. "Correct. She was the first summoner, the first one to defeat Sin." He looked at Yuna. "And you share her name."

Clearly abashed and nervous, Yuna mumbled, "My father named me."

"Your father was a smart man. However, his naming you after the great Lady was his entrusting you with a truly large task. He wanted you to follow her footsteps and also defeat Sin and save Spira. However..." A different type of smile appeared on his lips. "She did not do it on her own. For her to defeat Sin, she needed to use an ancient, true bond that could never be severed: the bond of two hearts who were unwavering in their loyalty to one another."

As he spoke, someone else entered the room and Yunalesca's sadness disappeared. She stood up in a hurried fashion and met a man wearing what looked like armor and a large crown. They held hands and smiled at one another; Ashlin could actually feel their love. Yuna felt a pair of eyes on her and looked up at Seymour, who was staring at her and smiling. She looked back at Yunalesca and Zaon and immediately put two and two together. When she turned back toward Seymour, he whispered something in her ear and the group found themselves back in the manor.

"Now what's he doing?" growled Tidus under his breath.

Rikku patted his shoulder. "Calm down, killer." Yuna moved away from Seymour. Actually, she ran toward her guardians, stopping before Rikku with her hands on her thighs as she doubled-over somewhat. She looked up at her guardians, who quickly formed a protective circle around her. Her face was bright red. "Wow! You're red, are you okay?"

"Can I have a drink?" asked Yuna in a small voice. Ashlin handed her a tomato juice; Yuna straightened up and drained the cup in a few seconds. "Seymour, he..."

"He what?" prompted Ashlin.

Yuna swallowed as if it were painful. "He asked for my hand in marriage!"

"What?" Tidus knew his response was too obvious, but he did not care. His eyes moved over to Ashlin's, and she purposely did not return his gaze. Her words from the previous night echoed in both their minds: _"Forget about him, and forget about what I said. There is no way that Yuna could ever pick Seymour over you."_

Seymour joined them, and Auron looked at him. "You know the task that Yuna must complete? Your diversion would amuse and distract the audience, but it would not change anything important."

"Yes, and I would never stop her. On the contrary, I would like to join her."

Rikku frowned. "What about her guardians?"

"Lady Yunalesca only had one, her husband. Lady Yuna is no different," replied Seymour with a gaze directed at Rikku that suggested he had no sympathy for her. "I do not expect an answer right away. In fact, I think that a rushed decision would be a horrendous idea. Think it over, and you can answer me later." Yuna was still in shock, and so she could not form a coherent response.

"Good," decided Auron, "we shall take advantage of this. We leave." He was the first one out the door, which seemed to displease Seymour. The others followed.

"Lady Yuna, I shall await your reply. Meet me at Macalania Temple with your answer." Seymour bowed, and Yuna finally joined her guardians.

Once outside, everyone inhaled deeply. Yuna locked her arms behind her back and swayed a little. "It sounds perfect," observed Lulu. "The daughter of a high summoner and the son of the man who brought Yevon's teachings to the Guado. A match made in heaven, some would say. Spira would certainly be pleased with the change of pace."

"Too good to be true," mumbled Ashlin. "Like a fairy tale."

"Like Sir Auron says, it sounds just like a moment's distraction," declared Wakka. Ashlin was surprised by the fact that everyone was trampling over the idea with Yuna in their presence; what about what she wanted?

Ashlin cleared her throat. "What do you think, Yuna? Ultimately, it's up to you."

"The marriage would make the people happy and make Spira a little less dark," realized Yuna, who kept her eyes on the ground. "I would like to do that, to make them happy. This isn't what I planned on. I need time."

Worried, Ashlin nodded her head slowly. "Of course. You should just make sure that you do what _you _want."

Rikku raised her index finger. "You know, you could quite your pilgrimage and get married! You can have kids and everything! It'd be great!"

"Sounds like someone else is livin' in a fairy tale, too," muttered Wakka dryly; Rikku stuck her tongue out at him.

"No, I want to continue my pilgrimage. Lord Seymour even said that he would join me," recalled Yuna.

Rikku was unhappy with the response. "Yeah, you're right..."

"It is my duty; I am a Summoner," remarked Yuna. "I need to think about this; I'm going to the Farplane to see my parents."

Lulu briefly placed a hand on Yuna's shoulder. "Go on, we'll all go." Almost everyone set off for the Farplane but Tidus and Ashlin, who stayed near the manor's gate.

Tidus turned toward Ashlin. "What did you tell me last night? That Yuna could never pick Seymour?"

"I never expected anything like this," argued Ashlin.

"But it shouldn't matter because this should be about what Yuna wants, right? This must be what Yuna wants." Tidus punched the nearby wall. "Damn it! What if it's _not _what she wants?"

Ashlin tapped her foot impatiently as she crossed her arms. "Isn't it obvious that it's not? She couldn't even look at you. She's thinking about what would help Spira and its people; Yuna's like that."

Tidus shook his head. "Maybe Yuna never liked me as anything more than a friend this whole time. Maybe she didn't even like me as a friend. Maybe it's because Jecht is my old man. I don't know. This sucks, and it's not right."

"Maybe you should have made a move before this like I suggested?" Ashlin's response was light, but Tidus did not take it as such. He took it seriously.

"I've been trying since I met her," he admitted. "She's just so perfect and wonderful and strong. So I guess she'd want to be with someone else who was strong, too. Someone who can actually make a difference for Spira."

Ashlin shook her head. "Don't do this to yourself, Tidus. Come on. You should go see the Farplane; I think it'll be a good experience for you." As they started up the slope leading up to the Farplane, Seymour exited his manor with a smirk as he noticed Tidus dragging his feet.

When they finally caught up with the others on a staircase leading up to a bluish portal, Tidus asked Ashlin, "The Farplane is where people go when they die, right? At least, when a summoner sends them. So dead people live there?"

"I can't answer you for sure since I've never gone inside; I've always been afraid of what I'd see..." She trailed off as a more bright expression appeared on her face. "But I've heard that it's unlike anything anyone's ever seen, kinda like your Zanarkand. You'll see once you're inside."

"So you completely believe me about Zanarkand?" asked Tidus. It wasn't that he truly cared; he just needed a momentary distraction.

"After seeing that sphere and your expression? Yeah," replied Ashlin. Everyone went inside except Auron and Rikku. Rikku was sitting on the ledge of the stairs while Auron leaned against it.

Tidus glanced at them. "What, neither of you are going?"

"It is not my place. What is in there is simply a repetition of the past, and I do not need it," answered Auron. "My past is over."

Though confused by Auron's words, Tidus turned toward Rikku. "And you?"

Smiling, Rikku said, "What's inside there, it's not really seeing your relatives and friends. It's just seeing an illusion created by pyreflies - beautiful, but not real. And I like to keep my memories inside, where they're safe. As the saying goes: 'Sasuneac yna hela, pid dryd'c ymm drao yna.' Have fun!"

Tidus took a few steps on the stairs and noticed Ashlin was not following. "What, you neither? Come _on_. You owe me!"

Ashlin looked at him from beneath her thick lashes with her hands in her back pockets. "I'm not sure if I can bear to see what's not there."

"You and me both," replied Tidus as he reached back and yanked her arm forward. "Let's go." He dragged her up the stairs and inside, and she made sure to groan and complain the whole time.

They looked at the others and noted Wakka was talking to what looked like a younger and less muscular version of himself with shorter hair. Yuna was looking at the images of Braska, who Ashlin recognized immediately, and a pretty Al Bhed woman. Tidus looked over the edge, and Ashlin moved to an empty section. She inhaled deeply and thought of the first person who came to mind. Though she waited, her mother's image did not appear. She tried again, but Jaidan's mother did not appear, either.

One last time, she decided to try. Ashlin thought of the only other people that she could think of. She screwed her eyes shut and waited. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised. The blue-eyed brunet teenager was hovering before her with the same patient grin that he had always worn. Yet, someone was missing. If Jaidan was there, where the hell was Aimee?

* * *

**Sasuneac yna hela, pid dryd'c ymm drao yna. **- Memories are nice, but that's all they are.


	8. The World's A Rollercoaster

**Chapter Seven:  
**The World's A Rollercoaster

**Note: Sorry it took so long for an update. On the plus side, I did work on this for a couple days to make sure it's really good. It wasn't originally supposed to end in a cliff hanger, but I didn't want so much to happen in one chapter, so... Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer - Yeah, still don't own FFX.**

* * *

Auron noted, for the umpteenth time, Rikku starting at him. When made a point to look at her directly, she blushed and looked away. "If you're going to make a point of staring at me, then you should try to be more sly about it," he told her. "Is there a reason for your staring?"

"I was just wondering," began Rikku a little uneasily, "why you wouldn't want to see your friends in the Farplane. Don't you miss them?"

"I could say the same to you," he replied.

Rikku blushed again. "Well, I know no one's there for me. No one Sends an Al Bhed."

"My past is over," repeated Auron. "I have no reason to go see it."

Rikku hopped off the ledge and moved over to Auron. She put her index finger to her chin and stared at him. "Hmm..."

"Now what?" demanded Auron. It was her first day of knowing him, but Rikku got the feeling that this was the most he had ever spoken.

She jumped into a standing position and put her hands on her hips. "I think I figured out the real reason why you won't go in!" she remarked, pumping a fist in the air as she did so.

Auron raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm sure this will be amusing at best. Go on."

"I think it's because if you see Uncle Braska and Jecht, then you'll start crying, and you don't want anyone to see you act like a real person!" Rikku put her other hand back on her hip and bent down so her head was close to his. "So?"

"You are very wrong," he replied simply.

Rikku frowned a little and rolled her eyes. She immediately became re-encouraged. "Well, of course you're going to say that. I bet I'm right!" Auron stopped speaking after that, so she moved back to her ledge with her back toward him. There was a large stream or river down below, and some pyreflies were floating over it. As loud footsteps sounded from the Farplane, both Rikku and Auron looked over to the entrance to see Ashlin all but running from it. "What's wrong?"

"I... don't know," admitted Ashlin as she fought the urge to look over her shoulder. The Farplane just felt creepy after that. It was beautiful, of course, with its flowing waterfalls and fields of flowers, but she was completely freaked out. "I was thinking of people I knew, but no one showed up. Except Jaidan."

"And? He was a Yevonite, right?" asked Rikku. "It's not that surprising."

Ashlin shook her head. "Well, I mean, he still liked Yevon, but Yevonites weren't so fond of him. But he shouldn't have been sent in the first place. He and Aimee died in... They died in a place where no one would have found them." She became suddenly very, very vague.

Rikku's eyes widened. "Did you kill them?"

With a groan, Ashlin hit Rikku's arm lightly. "No! A fiend did! The point is, they died together. In the same place. No Summoners would have found them, and none probably would have Sent them. If Jaidan was sent, then Aimee should have been, too."

"It's possible she wanders as an unsent," offered Auron. This did not do a whole lot to cheer up Ashlin. She groaned again and stared at her feet. Rikku patted her back.

"There, there, Ash. On the inside, Auron's being more understanding," reassured Rikku.

Auron shrugged. "It is also possible that he accepted death when he was still alive, but that does not seem likely."

"Maybe it is," mumbled Ashlin. They looked toward the entrance once again and found everyone leaving. They all looked a little more somber, with except of Kimahri and Yuna, who seemed determined.

When she saw them, however, she smiled. "Thanks for letting me do that; I needed it. I'm ready to give Maester Seymour my answer." This news seemed to cheer Tidus up quite a bit. The Guado around them began to gasp, Ashlin thought, at Yuna's news. Their eyes were fixated on the portal leading to the Farplane and, ultimately, directed everyone else's attention there.

The Guado simultaneously exclaimed, "Lord Jyscal!"

Sure enough, a zombie like figure with vegetation-like dark blue hair in yellow robes was hovering outside of the Farplane. He was groaning in a way that Ashlin thought zombies sounded. All were quite disturbed by his appearance. "Send him, Yuna," ordered Auron. Yuna looked back at him with surprise. "You know he does not belong here."

Yuna moved toward Lord Jyscal as he doubled-over and began to twirl her rod and perform the sending. Ashlin heard Auron groan from behind her and looked over to find him kneeling, somewhat, in obvious pain. "You okay?" she asked in a mutter.

"I will be soon," replied Auron.

Yuna seemed to be hesitant still, but she managed to finish the sending. As Lord Jyscal's body disappeared into a cloud of pyreflies, something thudded to the ground. It looked like a sphere. Curious, Yuna picked it up. When no one stopped her, she pocketed it. "I don't understand. I thought he died?" asked Ashlin nervously.

Auron shook his head. He was now standing and seemed to be in perfect condition. "Not here. Let's go." Once they were in the tunnel leading away from the Farplane did they feel that they were allowed to speak on the matter.

"So was that, uh, r-really Lord Jyscal?" inquired Wakka.

"It certainly was not a copy," answered Lulu.

Yuna shook her head. "How could he have not been sent?"

"He had to have been sent," replied Lulu. "Perhaps he still had an attachment to this world, and that is what kept him here."

Rikku blinked. "Is that... allowed? That can't really happen, can it?"

"It's possible," responded Auron.

Ashlin looked at him. "It is?"

"In certain situations. In this case, there is blood on someone's hands." She shivered at his words, and it had nothing to do with the cold.

Once they exited the tunnel, Yuna said, "I want to just get this over with, so I'm going to see if Seymour is still here." They stopped before the manor while she ran inside, leaving them to entertain themselves.

Tidus elected to harass Lulu. "Lulu, you're like Yuna's sister. Wouldn't you want her to marry for love, not obligation?"

"Yes," she replied. "But I can't force Yuna to do anything I don't like. Besides, I prefer Seymour to the... alternative."

"What's that?" wondered Tidus.

Lulu rested her hand on her forehead and shook her head. "Nothing."

Ashlin turned toward Auron. "Auron, did you get enough sleep?" He simply raised an eyebrow at her. "You collapsed back there..."

"It was nothing. It would do you well to put it out of your mind," he told her, his tone final.

Rikku tugged on Ashlin's arm. "So, we're going through the Thunder Plains, right?"

"Sadly," murmured Ashlin. "Man, I hate that place. I can never avoid the damn lightning bolts!"

"Yeah... do you think there's another way around?" Rikku sounded too hopeful.

Ashlin blinked. "Well, I guess that's possible? But we would probably have to go completely out of our way to find it. We'll just have to deal."

"Yeah, deal," laughed Rikku nervously.

Yuna rejoined them, her hands locked behind her back. "Maester Seymour already left, so I guess we'll just have to meet him at Macalania Temple. Ready?"

"Ready when you are!" cheered Tidus.

Finally, they left Guadosalam after what seemed like forever and started down a path that led into the perpetually cold, dark, and electric Thunder Plains. The sky was already rumbling in warning and, as if that weren't enough, a lightning bolt touched down near them. Rikku shrieked and all but jumped on top of Ashlin. "This... doesn't look safe," noted Tidus.

"It's not," replied Lulu, who was never one to sugarcoat. "The lightning bolts are usually drawn to the towers, but... not always."

"Just stay not too close and not too far away from the towers, ya? We should be fine!" Even Wakka sounded a little nervous.

Ashlin shook her head as she peeled herself away from Rikku and started for the nearest tower. "No such thing as 'too close', Wakka." He ignored her. Why was it so easy to forgive everyone for lying to him but so hard for him to 'forgive' her for what was in her blood? Right. Because they were his friends. She sighed in defeat and, as another bolt touched down nearby, found Rikku glued to her once more.

"Y-you know, I-I think we should have bought m-more stuff from Guadosalam. We should go do that!" exclaimed Rikku.

Auron stared at her. "Enjoy. You go and catch up with us?"

"Travel through the Thunder Plains alone? N-no way," whimpered Rikku. "There m-must be another w-way around!"

Auron turned away from her. "Go find it. In the meantime, we're going to Macalania Temple."

"Okay, okay! Gosh, you b-big meanie, I'll g-go!"

The concentration it took to avoid the lightning bolts forced them to move in silence. After the event with Lord Jyscal, no one had too much to say, anyway. Who could have caused Jyscal to have an unclean death? The question was on everyone's mind and, admittedly, the answer was, too. Not that anyone wanted to face that truth. Ashlin lugged herself in a crisscross formation across the plains with Rikku firmly attached to her arm. When a Gold Elemental appeared from behind a rock, Rikku clung to her even more tightly, forcing them both to be struck down by its thunder spells.

Lulu destroyed the fiend easily enough with a watera spell. "Rikku, you need to get a grip on yourself." She was not saying it to be mean but because Rikku was currently endangering herself and Ashlin.

Rikku shook her head. "Can't I just close my eyes and have someone drag me through here?"

"If you did, you may not wake up again," stated Auron.

"What's that supposed to mean?" demanded the Al Bhed. Auron pointed at an Iron Giant approached them from behind a large set of boulders. It wielded a large sword and appeared particularly sinister. As the fiend approached and lightning struck around them, Rikku nearly began to cry.

Yuna gazed at her cousin with sympathy. "Rikku, why don't you sit this one out?" she suggested gently. Rikku seemed only too eager to take up Yuna's invitation and moved away from the ground and kept her eyes focused on the lightning bolts instead.

Lulu turned toward the open road of the Thunder Plains where Wakka and Tidus were fooling around. "Tidus, if you stay there, you'll be struck by lightning! Wakka, you should know better!" She slowly detached herself from the group in order to chastise the two blitz players. This left Yuna, Auron, Ashlin and Kimahri to take care of the giant.

Though the Iron Giant was scary powerful, Ashlin knew that it was weak to magic. She knew this because Aimee had excelled in both black and white magic, so Lulu's departure was going to make the fight a little more difficult. The Iron Giant looked over them as if it were judging them somehow. Then, it moved - surprisingly quick for something so large - and swiped its sword at Yuna. Kimahri moved, quickly, and protected Yuna from the blow. Undeterred, the fiend moved toward the next convenient target: Rikku, who was totally unaware of anything but the lightning.

"Rikku-!" shouted Ashlin.

With a speed that did not seem humanly possible, Auron moved and protected Rikku from the attack, instead taking the damage himself. As he had turned his body toward Rikku, the sword raked up the middle of his back; Rikku's face was the perfect picture of surprise. Ashlin and Kimahri simultaneously charged at the giant while it was distracted, forcing it away from them for the moment. Jaidan's sword did not do much else but glance off the giant's body. "Great," huffed Ashlin. Yuna promptly healed Auron, and Ashlin remained by her side as her guardian slash fellow healer. Rikku remained behind them.

When they (really just Auron and Kimahri) finally defeated the Iron Giant, Rikku attempted to put her feelings into words. "You protected me," she breathed as if she could not believe it. He simply stared at her. "I thought you didn't like me."

"Regardless of my feelings, you are my comrade. I am obligated to protect you," he replied cooly.

Rikku nodded, her fear forgotten for the moment, "R-right."

Tidus and Wakka continued to walk through the middle road even after the incident. They appeared to be having a contest to see who could avoid more lightning bolts. "Boys," remarked Ashlin as she shook her head. Rikku was no longer attached to her arm but continued to look around worriedly. A few Larvae and Gold Elementals later, they reached a path with a traveling agency off to the side.

When they began to pass it, a particularly nasty lightning bolt rained down from he sky and struck very near them. Rikku cried out as if it had touched her and threw herself to the ground, shaking her head. "Can't. Do. It." Ashlin and Tidus stopped and so did, finally, the rest of the group.

"We're almost out of here," offered Ashlin. "This is the halfway mark!"

Rikku shook her head even harder and grabbed both Ashlin and Tidus' legs, nearly forcing them to the ground in the process. "I-I hate lightning and thunder! I can't do this anymore! Please, please, pretty please can we stay in the agency for the night? Pleaseeee!" Her eyes were on Auron, which was appropriate as he seemed to make all the final decisions.

"No," he answered simply. "The storm never stops. You're only putting off the inevitable."

"But it'll save at least a little of my sanity! Please!" begged Rikku.

Tidus turned toward Auron. "A lot's happened today! Let's stop!"

However, everyone simply continued to walk, though Yuna seemed torn. "Please! I'm so scared!" called Rikku. No one stopped. "I'm going to cry!" Still, no one. "Don't you guys have any hearts?"

Finally, Auron stopped. "If we don't stop, we'll never hear the end of this. We stop. She's worse than any storm in the Plains."

Rikku released Ashlin and Tidus' legs and all but charged into the agency. "Finally!"

Wakka crossed his arms over his chest and cleared his throat. "Do we really have to accommodate her? She's with her people now, ya? I say we just leave her." Apparently, it had slipped his mind that Rikku was Yuna's cousin. Yuna sent him one deeply disapproving, withering gaze before walking into the agency. The look, coming from Yuna, was especially frightening.

"Wakka, Rikku's Yuna's cousin," reminded Tidus.

Wakka rubbed the back of his head. "Oh. Right." The others also went inside the agency, leaving Ashlin and Wakka to stand outside. She approached him, and he raised an eyebrow at her, his arms still crossed to send her a message.

"Wakka, I think we should talk," she decided, flinching as a lightning bolt struck too near them.

"Nothin' to talk about, ya?"

She shook her head. "There's a lot to talk about. Wakka, I don't get why you hate Al Bhed so much."

He stared down at her for a moment and attempted to make himself look much bigger (which he already was) and intimidating. Ashlin refused to back down, so he decided to throw her a bone. "You went to the Farplane too, ya?" She nodded. "You see who I was talkin' to?"

"Yeah, a boy who looked a lot like you, but... smaller."

Wakka smiled just a little. "That was my younger brother, Chappu. He lived on the island with us, and I used ta treat him more like a kid then my kid brotha; he hated it, but I thought one of us could use a parent-like figure, ya? Well, I got 'im a sword once, the one that Tidus uses. Instead of using it, he decided to join the Crusaders and use Al Bhed machina instead. It backfired and killed him. His crushed body was left behind on the shores near Djose."

Ashlin was horrified and depressed by the story, but she still had to ask, "And that's why you hate Al Bhed?"

"That's a small reason. Al Bhed go against the teachings of Yevon, ya? Machina is the reason that Sin was created; make us repent for using all of it, for using stuff that made us think we were godlike."

She shook her head a little. "I'm not sure, Wakka. Machina does do a lot of good."

"That's why I don't like Al Bhed." The smile was gone. "You don't listen to reason. All you care about is yourselves."

"Is it something that's just in our blood? Even if there's an Al Bhed like me who's never had the chance to closely know another Al Bhed?" Wakka nodded. Ashlin shook her head had and crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to warm up. The conversation had not gone where she wanted it to. "Whatever, that's fine. If you care for Yuna, though, you should try to put down Al Bhed less. At the very least, don't say things about Rikku like you just did."

As Ashlin started for the door, he asked, "What do you know? You barely know Yuna."

"If you can't do what I suggested, then I obviously know her a lot better than you," she replied coldly before entering the agency, leaving Wakka outside in the cold.

Inside, Ashlin could only find Yuna. When she approached the summoner, Yuna smiled softly. "Thanks."

Ashlin blinked, confused. "For?"

"What you said to Sir Wakka," she answered before out the window with a thoughtful expression. "He has always been like a brother to me, but..."

"It's hard when people don't respect your heritage, I know. Or your family. No need to thank me; I just thought that trying to talk Wakka into some sense would help us all."

Yuna nodded and looked back at her. "Do you remember what I told you that morning on the Highroad before the Chocobo Eater attacked us?" Ashlin nodded. "Well, the reason for Sir Wakka's anger toward Al Bhed, I think, is-"

"-He told me about Chappu. It's sad, but it's not a good excuse, you know?"

"If it were, then I would have to hate Al Bhed and their machina too!" Rikku, a little more calm now, was exiting the hall leading down to their rooms and joined them.

Ashlin tilted her head to the side. "Why's that?"

Rikku became somber-looking. "Well, when I was little, my mom was working on some machina, and it malfunctioned, killing her. Wakka and I have something in common, you know? But I bet he'd say that she deserved it." Yuna was surprised, but it explained why only Rikku and her uncle had ever visited and not her aunt, too.

"No, despite all of Wakka's anger toward the Al Bhed, I don't think he could even say that," concluded Yuna. "I know he may not seem it to you, but he really is a kind man."

"I'll believe it when I see it," mumbled Rikku. A lightning bolt struck close to the agency and the thunder roared loudly, causing her to jump and retreat to the room.

Ashlin rubbed the back of her head. "I guess we could use some rest ourselves. You still have a lot to think about."

Yuna led the way to their room. In a voice barely above a whisper, she said, "I... I've changed my mind. I know what I'm going to do now."

Ashlin stopped and stared at the older girl. "What?" Her voice was guarded, and she was quite sure that she was not going to like the answer.

"I will marry Maester Seymour."

"What? But... why? I thought you had decided against it?" she demanded as she bit down on her lip. "Look, I know I barely know you and shouldn't tell you what to do, but... Seymour doesn't seem like the best news. For the love of all the heavens, _he's _probably the one who killed Jyscal." She made sure to keep her voice down as she spoke of the dead maester. At her words, though, Yuna looked particularly nervous. "...Yuna, do you know something?"

Yuna shook her head. "It's nothing."

"Auron's right; you _are _a bad liar. What's wrong?"

"Really, don't worry about it." The Summoner was too nervous for Ashlin's liking.

Ashlin shook her head. "Yuna, tell me. You can trust me. _Please_ trust me."

With a defeated sigh, Yuna breathed, "It... It was Maester Seymour." Though she had sort of expected the answer, Ashlin was still quite surprised.

"Wh-what? Are you serious?" Yuna nodded. "Then, why do you want to marry him?"

"I'm hoping that I can convince him to turn himself in."

Another shake of the head. "Do you know how crazy that sounds?"

"It's the only way," responded Yuna in a very final tone. "Please," her voice returned to its usual gentleness, "don't tell the others."

Ashlin heaved a sigh and stared at the floor for a moment. She managed to mumble, "Your secret's safe with me."

"Thank you," said Yuna for the second time. This time, she hugged the Al Bhed before they entered their room.

**xxx**

Whether or not it was morning, Ashlin was not sure, when she briefly awoke to feel the height of the bed increase slightly. She looked over to her right with blurry eyes in enough time to see a shivering Rikku leaving the room. On the other side of the room, Lulu and Yuna appeared to be sleeping peacefully, as they had the whole night; the same could not be said of Ashlin and Rikku. Rikku had tossed and turned in her sleep and whimpered like a frightened child. As a result, Ashlin had barely managed to get any sleep. Now that Rikku was gone, she hoped that she could catch up on some.

Rikku walked down the hallway, jumping at the slightest sound of thunder, and sat at a small table in the empty lobby. She put her head in her hands and tried to calm down her breathing, but it was proving difficult. Her experience in the Thunder Plains as well as Wakka was starting to make her think that she should not have joined Yuna after all. Sure, she could try to convince Yuna not to continue with the pilgrimage, but she was having her doubts about that. After all, Yuna was turning down a marriage proposal just to continue on.

She was not sure if she could journey with her cousin knowing that she was going to, in the end, kill herself. How could she watch something like that? Tidus and Ashlin made for good distractions, of course. Sometimes a distraction just wasn't good enough - especially in the face of death. "Weren't you the one who insisted on staying here to rest?" A voice asked from behind her, startling her.

Rikku turned around to find Auron staring down at her. With a frown, she replied, "It's hard to rest with _that _outside!" She gestured to the window.

"The storm never stops, isn't that what I told you?"

"I just needed to recuperate; I've been scarred, you know!"

Auron raised an eyebrow. He always looked so arrogant; it pissed her off at certain moments... like the current one. "How so?"

"Well..." She swallowed hard. "When I was younger, I was playing on the beach, and a fiend came up behind me and attacked me. My brother tried to save me and cast a thunder spell at it, but he missed it by a mile and hit _me _instead!" Rikku tried to calm her breathing again. "He's horrible at spell casting."

"Hn. Are you aware of how many thunder-casting fiends we're bound to meet for the remainder of the pilgrimage?"

Rikku half-shrugged. "I don't care," she replied as she calmed down a little. "I'm in this for Yunie."

"You wish to stop her pilgrimage."

Rikku blinked and looked up at him. "Huh? How'd you know that?"

"No one wants to see someone they care for deeply sacrifice themselves," he answered. It was obvious that he spoke from experience.

Rikku pumped her fist in the air abruptly. "I knew it! I bet I was right about you crying in the Farplane over Uncle Braska and Jecht!"

Auron pinched the bridge of his nose. "Back to that again?"

Ashlin's sudden appearance spared him from any more of Rikku's nonsense. "Rikku, there you are. I couldn't sleep once you left; I was worried that you might have lost your mind and run outside, or something." She was lying. Yuna's words continued to echo in her mind, and she couldn't take it any longer. Auron smirked at Rikku, but she could not see it.

"I'm tired of this place," complained Rikku. "I'm so ready to get out of here."

**xxx**

A little while after Auron, Rikku and Ashlin had met in the lobby, the others had awoken. They finished traversing the Thunder Plains, though the Gold Elementals and Iron Giants, as if they sensed Rikku's fear, increased in number and constantly sought her out as their target. When they reached Macalania Woods, Rikku all but flung herself to the ground out of relief.

"These woods are filled with strong fiends and confusing twists and turns. Stay close," said Lulu to, mostly, Ashlin, Rikku and Tidus.

Wakka and Lulu led the group, going up the left sloping path instead of moving on the ground-level one. As they continued up the path (which Tidus quickly realized was actually a tree limb of some sort), the forest became less open and crystallized trees began to form on either side of them. There were so many that they nearly touched them as they walked.

Ashlin happened to notice something blue glinting in the distance. When they finally came closer to it, she stopped and picked it up. She became immediately excited when she turned it over to find an engraving that read: Ai's (with a heart engraved beside it.) "I... completely forgot about this."

Rikku, who was still obviously excited about being out of the Thunder Plains, was jumping up and down beside her. "What is it?"

"Aimee made a sphere. Just one... She worked on it for a long time, she told me. Since before we met. Which meant she was really little when she started it." Ashlin could hear Aimee's sweet, medium-pitch voice explaining to her, _'After seeing some of the spheres mom and dad and their parents made when they were younger, mom said I should work on my own sphere. So I started one before we met with Jaidan's help. I've been working on this baby my whole life.' _She engaged the sphere as the group continued to walk with Tidus and Rikku looking (or, in Rikku's case, attempting to look) over her shoulder to watch.


	9. Control Yourself

**Chapter Eight:  
**Control Yourself

**Note: Once again, a huge thanks to all of my readers. You guys are absolutely amazing. :) Just so you know, I am not going to include the Spherimorph. Because it wouldn't change from the in-game fight, and including it would just be pointless. The chapter's still good all the same. Not a whole lot of action, but a lot of important plot stuff. It's very Ashlin-centric, though.**

'The memories fade,  
Like looking through a fogged mirror.  
Decision to decisions are made and not bought,  
But I thought this wouldn't hurt a lot;  
I guess not.'  
**-"Kids" by MGMT**

* * *

_A nine-year-old boy was sitting in the large living room of an apartment in Bevelle. As he messed up his spiky brown hair, he looked at the sphere, which was at an odd angle, and laughed. "Ai, hold it straight!"_

_The squeaky voice of a four-year-old said, "It _is _straight." Then, a door opened somewhere behind them, and the sphere twirled around to show two woman and another four-year-old girl. One of the woman had long and straight chocolate-colored hair with thick bangs, and the other had wavy blond hair with side bangs that curled at the end. The little girl had long blond hair, which was tied atop her head in a high pony tail, and green eyes that were currently gazing around the room. _

_"Jaidan, honey, what I'm about to tell you can't be repeated to your father," informed the brunette as she approached the sphere. "Aimee, sweetie, turn that thing off."_

xxx

_The scene changed and the view was suddenly of Macalania Woods, a year later. The sphere was stationary, so it was obviously sitting atop a rock or something of the like. "You're leaving us?" demanded a five-year-old who sounded heartbroken. She had very light brown hair which grew just past her shoulders._

_The brunette woman, Jaidan and Aimee's mother, sighed. "Not for long. We'll be back. You can't come with us; it's not safe."_

_Jaidan shook his head. "And leaving us in the middle of a forest with nothing at all is?"_

_"Jaidan, this is the only thing we can do, okay? It's our only chance. Besides, the journey we're making, it's not going to be easy. It'll be even more difficult with you kids." She sounded stressed._

_Jaidan stomped his foot. "Yevonites won't accept us because of Ash and Kris. The Al Bhed definitely won't accept them because of us."_

_The sphere was also able to catch a pair of Al Bhed, Krishna and Ashlin, off to the side. Krishna had her knees bent so that she was at her daughter's level, and her hands were on her shoulders. "Honey, now I know you're scared, but you have Jaidan and Aimee."_

_Ashlin's lower lip was trembling. "Mommy, why you hafta leave us? I'll miss you!"_

_Krishna hugged her. "I know, baby, but we have to go to the Al Bhed Home and find your daddy. It's the only way for us all to be safe again, okay?"_

_And, sniffling, the little girl agreed, "Okay."_

xxx

_Though the sphere still showed Macalania Woods, it was a different area. It was in an area with a small, flowing waterfall behind a large tree. Crystals seemed to jut out of every area, even the shallow pond that formed beneath the thick tree. Once again the sphere was stationary and was currently filming two girls who were about six now._

_"I wonder when Jai's getting back; I'm so bored!" complained Aimee, who was idly playing with Ashlin's hair. _

_"He went to Bevelle," recalled Ashlin as she traced images in the water with her index finger. Footsteps echoed from somewhere behind the sphere and Jaidan, a few years older, approached them. "Jaidan!" The girls cheered._

_Jaidan began to pick their things off of the ground. "C'mon, we're going to the Calm Lands. There's a lot of space and Chocobos."_

_"Chocobos!" exclaimed the girls. They promptly scurried to their feet before Aimee walked over and turned off the sphere. _

_The scene changed, but it was still the same day. Jaidan was recording Aimee, Ashlin, and an older man. _(In the present day, Tidus' mouth fell open while Ashlin said, "Jaidan recorded this?") _The man was holding a blitz ball in his hand, holding it over the younger girl's heads. "Ash, climb on Ai's shoulders!" shouted Jaidan from behind the sphere. Aimee bent down and Ashlin climbed on her shoulders. A little off balance, Aimee started for Jecht with Ashlin's arms flung outward._

_"Hey! That's not fair!" declared Jecht._

_There was some laughing off to the side; Jaidan swung the sphere around so that Braska, who was chuckling, and a younger Auron were in view. "You're using your height," pointed out Auron. _

_Jecht rubbed the back of his head and, in his distraction, Ashlin knocked the ball out of his hand. "Hey! That's not fair, either!" This time, he laughed too. His laugh increased when Aimee became off balance and she and Ashlin fell into a heap. _

xxx

_Another scene of Macalania Woods. Ashlin and Aimee were much older now, about thirteen. The sphere shook a little, so it was obvious that Jaidan was taping, yet neither girl seemed aware of his presence. They were back in the crystallized pond area. "You know, when we still lived in Bevelle, I knew this kid, Eric. He was really sweet. He gave me a ring once and we had a pretend wedding."_

_Ashlin nodded. "Yeah, I remember that! I think that I was the best man somehow. I think he didn't like Al Bhed."_

_"Actually, I think you were just crazy," replied Aimee, earning herself a punch on the arm. A somber expression took place of her playful one. "You know, I miss it, sometimes. I miss being in beautiful Bevelle, and I miss being accepted. It kills me to admit it, but I even miss my dad."_

_"It's not too late for you and Jaidan to go back. Remember what Jaidan said? He would take you back if I wasn't with you. You can go. After all of the stealing and stuff that we've done, I think I'll be fine by myself."_

_Aimee frowned and splashed her best friend with some of the water. "Are you stupid? Of course not! I don't care what I miss, none of it would be worth losing you. You're my sister. Not by blood, by choice. I would never want to leave you." _

_Ashlin held her hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, sorry." She leaned back and lay on the cold ground with her boots dipping into the water. "I just feel bad. I feel like my mom and I ruined everything for your family.."_

_Aimee shook her head. "You didn't. It's not your fault that your father was an abusive ycc. My mom loved you two, and so do we. We're in this together now, so get used to it. 'Gyo?"_

_Ashlin grinned, leaning back on her forearms. "Ugyo," she agreed. "You know, maybe it's time to get out of this forest. It's kind of nice and familiar now, but I can never stop thinking about that day we heard about our moms."_

_"Yeah," sighed Aimee. "I know it's obvious, but that was the worst day ever. Worse than being kicked out of the house. Worse than dad's rejection. I still don't know how that Al Bhed found out."_

_"Me neither," agreed Ashlin. "But it was... sort of nice, wasn't it? They were obviously determined that we found out." She shook her head. "I don't think I can talk about this anymore; it might make me cry. Maybe we shouldn't leave this place after all."_

_Aimee looked at her. "Why's that?"_

_"At least, here, we're safe from Sin. Maybe not from scary-strong fiends or even Sinspawn, but we're safe from Sin. We'll never have to die before our time like they did."_

_"Mm," mumbled Aimee as she looked up at the night sky. "Hopefully."_

_Ashlin rolled her eyes. "Just agree with more for once. Sheesh, you're difficult. It's okay, though. E muja oui, Ai."_

_"E muja oui, Ash," replied Aimee as she brought her eyes back to her best friend and the devious look returned. She stood up quickly and began to splash Ashlin. The sphere abruptly dropped to the ground as a more handsome, older Jaidan approached and knocked both of them into the water. _

The sphere clicked off and turned black, and Ashlin inhaled deeply. She had been unaware that Jaidan had been recording her and Aimee; she had not even recalled having that conversation. It was painful to see Jaidan, Aimee and, especially, her mother. At the same time, it was nice, particularly since she had not remembered what her mother looked like. "That's it?" asked Rikku.

"Yeah, they died not too soon after that," mumbled Ashlin.

Tidus, however, was still in shock from seeing his father. "He was so... _nice _to you guys."

Ashlin nodded. "He was a nice man, you know."

Tidus shook his head somberly. "No, I don't."

"Jecht changed. When I met him, I only saw a drunken moron," informed Auron, who was suddenly walking with them. Yuna had also joined them at some point. "But he defended Braska well, so I could not complain. When we arrived at the Moonflow, Jecht had been drinking again. He thought the shoopuf was a fiend, and attacked it. Lord Braska had to use all of our money in order to pay of the hypello for damages."

"Sounds like my old man," muttered Tidus.

Auron raised an eyebrow on him. "He was so ashamed that he said he would never drink anything but shoopuf milk again."

"And?"

"He never drank again; he proclaimed it on a sphere." answered Auron simply.

Rikku rested her arms behind her head. "Sounds like we're going down memory lane, huh?"

"It's a fitting place. The crystal in this forest is used to make spheres," noted Yuna, whose thoughts were mostly elsewhere. "Can we stop? I need to... say something." And, just like that, the group stopped. Ashlin bit down on her lip.

She pulled Yuna off to the side. "Yuna, are you sure that this is what you want to do? It's really not too late to change your mind." Her voice dropped down to a whisper. "It's really not your job to help out Jyscal. I know, that sounds horrible, but it's the truth. At the very least, you don't have to marry him to get it done!"

"Lord Jyscal appeared for a reason, I know it. He wanted me to get the sphere. Maester Seymour will never turn himself in. I must do this," reasoned Yuna.

Ashlin shook her head. She could not help but recall Tidus' pleased expression when Yuna had announced that she had made up her mind and was giving her answer to Seymour. Now... Yuna moved to join the others, and Ashlin lightly grabbed her arm. "Please, Yuna. I really wouldn't be saying this if I didn't care about you. Don't do this. It just seems like a bad idea."

"Regardless, I'm going to do whatever I can. I must." Then, Ashlin loosened her grip and Yuna returned to the others to tell them her final decision.

**xxx**

The atmosphere changed radically once Yuna informed the others that she was marrying Seymour. It felt depressing, disappointing, and full of anxiety (for some more than others). It was too familiar to Ashlin. Rikku seemed to be going crazy from the lack of talking, so after trying (and failing) to talk to Tidus, she began to speak with Ashlin. She was obviously cheered by Yuna getting married; in her mind, it meant that she would not continue her pilgrimage.

"You lived here?" she asked.

Ashlin nodded. "For a really long time. I mean, we were kind of nomadic, but this was the safest place to stay. Especially the secret place where we always kept our campsite. It wasn't much, but it was home."

"Home doesn't have to be made up off steel walls," pointed out Rikku, "but people who love you, you know?"

Ashlin smiled. "That's why, I guess, we used to call this home."

"And what do you call it now?" wondered Rikku.

The smile became significantly more bitter. "Hell would be a good word for it. I've always avoided this place. I haven't really been here since Jai and Ai died."

Rikku pursed her lips. "Are you ever going to tell me or anybody else what happened to them exactly?"

"It's a hard story to tell. I told Auron, but just the really short version," informed Ashlin. "In this instance, I 'like to keep my memories inside'."

"Hey! You stole that from me!"

Ashlin grinned. "That just means you're wise, Rikku."

Rikku brightened up substantially and began to skip around a little. Along the way, she bumped into Kimahri. He did not growl or glower at her, and, instead, grabbed her arm as she came off balance. "Rikku should be careful." It was not a threat or a warning, but a piece of advice.

"I really like Kimahri," remarked Ashlin with a smile to Rikku. Rikku agreed with a nod. The reason for why they had stopped quickly became apparent. Barthello, Dona's goon of a guardian, had stopped before them. Alone.

As his eyes swept the group, he asked, "Have you guys seen Dona?"

They exchanged glances. "No," answered Tidus. "Why?"

"We... We got separated on our way here, and..." Barthello attempted to catch his breath.

Under her breath, Ashlin huffed, "What a loss to the world."

"Damn it! I have to find her before some fiend does. Where the hell could she have gone?"

Auron smoothly moved to the front of the group. Barthello, who apparently looked up to Auron, focused all of his attention on him. "Calm down. Losing your composure will do nothing for either of you. Think with your head, not your heart."

"But..."

"Emotions will only get in your way at the moment," acknowledged Auron. "Your priority is your summoner, not your feelings toward her."

To say Barthello was abashed would be putting it lightly. He bowed his head for a second and nodded. "You're right. I will continue searching."

"We could help you-" started Yuna, but she was cut off.

Barthello shook his head. "No, you have helped enough. Thank you, Sir Auron. I will find Dona thanks to you." Then, he ran off once more.

Ashlin and Rikku had heard all there was to hear about Dona. She was rude, snide, and just plain mean to Yuna and had also attempted to get Yuna and Tidus in trouble with Yevonites early on in the pilgrimage. Yet, Yuna had been willing to help Barthello search for her adversary. Not to mention how willing she was to do anything that made Spirans happy or that helped someone. "You're lucky, Rikku. Your cousin, she's... pretty cool."

Up until that point, they had not met many fiends. At the very least, they had not met many strong ones. As the extremely long, sloping path finally reached the ground level where trees surrounded them, a large fiend stepped out from behind one. The fiend had three different hands, made up of a bull, wolf, and eagle and had hoofed feet. It had a long yellow tail that was actually a snake. It was a fearsome looking beast. "Wh-what's that?" shouted Tidus.

"A Chimera," answered Lulu. "It has good magic and physical attacks, so watch out."

Ashlin was staring at the fiend with a particularly horrified expression. She could suddenly hear Aimee's screams and Jaidan's shouts; her vision swam for a moment as her heartbeat increased. "Hey, you okay?" wondered Rikku, who was looking up at her with concern.

"Uh..." Ashlin grabbed her head. Rikku's question was a marvelous one; one that not even she was sure that she could answer. "Not sure," she admitted.

"Stay back," advised Auron. His sunglasses hid his eyes, but Ashlin knew what she would see under there. He knew the cause of her anxiety, and she was only too eager to obey his orders. She stepped back and watched as everyone surrounded the Chimera, with Yuna slightly off to the side so as to not be in the line of fire.

The summoner quickly cast four protective spells that would stop the Chimera's magic for harming them - at least for the first time it attacked. Meanwhile, Lulu began to cast blizzara spells, leaving the remainder of the group to do what they did best: physical attacks. Ashlin took advantage of her sitting out time to finally examine how each person acted in a battle.

Rikku, as she already knew, swayed from side to side as if staying still would be like not breathing; Lulu calmly surveyed the enemy with her moogle dog snuggly sitting in the crook of her arm, except when she was using it, of course; Wakka was completely focused with one hand held out before him while the other tightly held onto his ball; Kimahri and Auron were both about the same: they both watched the enemy close, though Auron seemed to be more calculating; Tidus was, for the most part, focused on the Chimera, but he also allowed his eyes to wander over to Yuna, no doubt to make sure that she was alright; Yuna clutched her rod tightly while her eyes swept the group to make sure that nobody needed healing.

They were, Ashlin thought, unique. Then again, Yuna was a pretty unique summoner. Rikku moved with a surprising amount of quickness, her right arm cocked behind her as she prepared to strike with her claw. Lulu covered the Al Bhed by casting another blizzara spell, and Wakka took advantage of the Chimera's distractedness by attacking with his blitzball. Afterwards, Auron and Kimahri attacked, their weapons making a semi-disgusting slicing sound in the fiend's thick skin. Yuna's protective spell had faded as the Chimera had already attacked with its magic, thus negating the spell. Now, it stopped its large hooves and turned toward Rikku.

The wolf head had been growling, the bull snorting, and the eagle cawing; the snake had been silent up until that point. It hissed, loudly, and rose a few inches above the ground. Ashlin prepared herself to face her fears and move, but her body refused to obey. Aimee's pained screams echoed in her mind again, and she just couldn't make herself move. A quick nulshock spell left Yuna's rod and fell over Rikku, protecting her just as the snake cast a thundara spell, which hit something of a barrier surrounding Rikku, resulting in nothing more than a bit of anxiety on her part. Auron managed to quickly destroy the Chimera afterwards, leaving everyone too relieved.

"I'm not safe anywhere!" complained Rikku.

Tidus shrugged. "Hey, at least Yuna thought fast!"

Rikku nodded earnestly before turning to her cousin. "Yeah! Thanks so much, Yunie!"

Yuna smiled. "Of course."

Up ahead, Ashlin could see some snow falling, meaning they were almost out and to the lake. She was so disappointed in herself and so eager that all she wanted to do was get out of the forest - even if their next destination was a freezing cold area. Her dreams of leaving quickly were promptly squashed when Auron stopped off to the side of the rode where thick, crystallized roots lay. He had his katana raised and was staring at the roots with a curious expression.

"Something wrong?" asked Tidus.

"This place..." mumbled Auron. "There's something here that you need to see."

Tidus rested his arms behind his head. "Need to?"

"Yes," replied Auron.

Yuna was hesitant. "Sir Auron..." They were almost there, and she was eager to speak with Seymour, no doubt.

"It will not take long," he promised. With one sweep of his sword, he chopped down the roots, and the group started into a hidden area, one that Ashlin recognized clearly.

Rikku and Tidus recognized it, too. "This was on the sphere!" noted the Al Bhed.

Ashlin nodded. Things had gone from bad to worse, it seemed. The area had not changed, not really. When she, Jaidan and Aimee had made camp there, the crystal had been blocking the path, too, but they had simply found a way around it. Jaidan had said that it made them, "Safer from unwanted visitors." As it turned out, he had been correct.

Numerous glittering ponds littered the area, with a central one beneath the waterfall which the large tree was growing out of. It was still beautiful, but its was marred for her now. The images of the previous time she had been there were too graphic. "I can't be here," she admitted, "so I'll wait outside." No one stopped her, and she sat on the roots of a tree off the main path with a longing glance toward the lake.

The instant she sat down, she had an eerie feeling of being watched. When she looked around, naturally, no one was there. After a few minutes, some shouts echoed from the crystallized campsite. Ashlin rose to her feet immediately and unsheathed Jaidan's sword before running for the entrance, but she stopped almost immediately. Out of nowhere, a person dressed in a long black robe with golden trim stood in front of the entrance. The robe was fitted, so Ashlin recognized that the person was a woman. The hood of the robe was pulled over the woman's head.

Ashlin stared at her. Several remarks formed in her mind, but the one that escaped her lips was, "Get out of my way!"

The woman chuckled. "Nice sword," she commented. "And no, I won't. Haven't you realized yet that you're useless and they don't need you?"

"I don't know you, so I don't think you're a good judge of that."

"Sweetie, anyone can see it. The only person who doesn't see it is you." The shouts from the others echoed again. Ashlin tried to move around the woman, but she simply matched her movements. Her hand moved downward, to one of Ashlin's belts, and seized something hanging near her back.

Ashlin protested immediately. "Hey! Give that back!" The woman ignored her and admired the weapon that she had pick pocketed. It was a fairly large pistol with the top colored black, then a blue streak in the middle, and a grey section beneath the blue. She stroked it. "I like this."

"It's not yours," argued Ashlin.

The woman easily pushed her back. "Is it yours?" she wondered; Ashlin chewed on the inside of her cheek instead. "Thought so." She pointed it at Ashlin and played with the trigger, as if she was considering shooting it at the Al Bhed. "How bad do you think it would hurt if I shot you?"

Ashlin felt as though her heart might burst out of her chest. "Why are you threatening me?" Her voice was sullen and almost childish-sounding.

"You and I are on separate sides of the spectrum. I'm a Yevonite, and you're an Al Bhed. Why not?"

"Who are you?" She made an effort to make her voice sound older and more controlled.

The woman tilted her head to the side for a moment, and the only sound was of Rikku's cheer of, "We did it!" Then, the pistol was lifted again and a shot was fired at Ashlin's foot. Its cracking echoed in the otherwise quiet forest. Ashlin jumped backwards, tripped over some roots, and fell to the ground.

"Pa. The. Tic." The woman threw the pistol at Ashlin, and disappeared in the forest behind her, leaving Ashlin even more anxious and confused. It took a few moments, but the group finally returned to the main part of the forest.

Though Wakka did not look like he wanted to talk to her, he asked, "Whatta you doin' on the ground?"

"Taking a rest," answered Ashlin. Her tone made it difficult for the others to determine whether or not she was lying.

"There was a gunshot," noted Auron. At that moment, Wakka's eyes fell down to Ashlin's stomach, which the pistol was resting upon.

"Hey! That's a gun, a machina!" he exclaimed, suddenly suspicious. "I thought you said you didn't _use _machina."

Ashlin shook her head. "I don't. This? It isn't mine. I've been holding onto it as a memento of sorts." Wakka did not look like he believed her. "I swear. I've never used it in my whole entire life."

Tidus held out a hand, which Ashlin gratefully took into both of hers, and heaved her to her feet. "Does it really matter?" he asked tiredly.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked as she replaced the pistol in her holster.

"Auron showed him a sphere of his dad," answered Rikku. "Jecht seemed to have known Yunie! Who'd have thought?"

Yuna nodded. "Yes, after Sir Jecht was first bailed out of the prison by my father, he, my father, and Sir Auron stayed in Bevelle a few days so that my father could find someone to watch over me while he was gone."

Rikku's eyes were on the pistol. "So, who's gun are you carrying around?" It seemed as though, for Rikku, there were no personal questions or secrets.

Ashlin rolled her eyes but answered her. "It was Aimee's. An Al Bhed gave it to her. You're not going to take it from me, are you?"

Rikku held up her hands and shook her head. "No way. I don't really like using guns. I prefer claws."

Ashlin turned toward the others. "I heard you guys yelling, though. What happened?"

"A fiend was attracted to the crystal of the area and attacked us," stated Auron simply.

Yuna nodded. "If we get to the temple in one piece, I will be so relieved."

"Let's go," suggested Lulu.

**xxx**

As soon as they left the safety of the forest, Rikku and Ashlin, both of whom were ill-dressed for the cold, began to shiver something fierce. _'Still,' _thought Ashlin, _'I'd take this over the woods any day.' _Though cold, Rikku seemed to enjoy trying to catch the snowflakes in her hand. They walked down a snowy path, passing up an agency, and found Tromell miraculously waiting there for them. "Lady Yuna, I am glad to see that you have arrived safely. As soon as Lord Seymour heard that you were on your way, he sent me to accompany you. I am afraid that your guardians will have to stay behind. We will send for someone as soon as we are finished."

She nodded, clasping her hands before her and bowing her head a little. "May I ask you something, sir?" He nodded. "I... I do want to continue my pilgrimage, even once Maester Seymour and I marry. Would that be alright?"

"Why, yes, my lady. He said, if that were your choice, that he would likely choose to accompany you."

Under his breath, Tidus muttered, "How very sweet of him."

Yuna nodded again. "I'm... pleased to hear that. Shall we go?"

"Follow me, Lady Yuna." Tromell began to lead her away from them. Ashlin recalled what Yuna had told her in the Thunder Plains, and she became anxious.

"Yuna!" shouted Tidus suddenly. She paused and looked back at him. Then, he whistled. A wide smile appeared on her face. "Yes, sir!" **(A/n: I always liked that line.) **

As she and Tromell moved further and further away, Ashlin made up her mind. She began to follow them, and Wakka grabbed her in an instant. "What are you doin'? You heard what he said!"

Ashlin looked back at him with an annoyed expression. "I know how hard it is for you to trust me, but... Yuna, I don't feel like she's safe with all of those Guado."

Suspicious, Lulu inquired, "Why?"

"It's just..." Ashlin stared at the ground, at Yuna's footsteps. "Please, Yuna confided something in me, and I can't tell you. But I'm afraid of what might happen to her because of what she knows, so I want to be there to watch out for her."

Tidus shook his head. "We should all go!" he argued.

Ashlin shook her head. "With so many people, all we're going to do is attract a lot of unwanted attention. I know that, maybe, after all this time, you guys don't feel like you know me, so you don't feel like you can trust me. Maybe I don't deserve it, but I'm asking you to trust me. Can you trust me on this one?"

Rikku looked nervous, but she nodded. Tidus slowly nodded his head, too. Auron answered, "Go on. They may intercept you at the entrance."

Ashlin smiled. "I know. I'll just have to do whatever I can to get in, then." She looked at the others for their blessings.

"Kimahri trust Ashlin," remarked the Ronso, lifting her heart.

Lulu nodded in agreement. "I don't believe that you would do anything to harm us - or Yuna. Be careful."

Finally, Ashlin turned toward Wakka. He rubbed the back of his head in a sheepish manner. "You know you- Well... Uh..." Finally, he nodded. "Ah, fine! Go ahead. If you get in trouble, don't blame it on us."

Ashlin decided to take this in stride. She nodded her head a little and, without another word, turned on the ball of her foot and ran in the general direction that Tromell and Yuna had gone. She had never been to the temple and was simply assuming that there was one path that led there. After passing through the wide open area, she found herself on a solitary path. Luckily for her, Tromell and Yuna were not too far ahead. In fact, they weren't moving at all. "Yuna!"

Yuna turned around, but she did not smile; she looked worried. Ashlin quickly figured out why once her eyes fell upon an Al Bhed with a large rifle pointed at Tromell. She recognized him almost immediately: he was the man from the Moonflow.


	10. Agony

**Chapter Nine**:  
Agony

**Note: When I copied the previous chapter onto another document, I accidentally cut out the Al Bhed. It's actually no big deal, since the only words were "ass" (Ycc) and "'kay/okay" ('gyo/ugyo).** **Reviews make me really happy, by the by, so thanks for that! Alright, this is where the good stuff happens. That fight with the huge-ass, tear-inducing machina still occurs, by the way but, again, doesn't differ from the game, so I'm not going to include it.**

_'Black sky will burn/_  
_Love, pull me down/_  
_Hate, lift me up.'_  
**-"Dear Agony" by Breaking Benjamin**

**

* * *

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Ashlin froze in her steps and stared at the Al Bhed, who noticed her after Yuna did. "This summoner is coming back with me," he told her over the howling of the wind. This immediately assisted in thawing out her legs.

The sword rang in the air as she pulled it out of its sheath. She had no bad ass line, no awe-inspiring speech. All she said was: "No, you're not." Though she could not feel her toes, Ashlin ran forward with the sword raised over her head.

The rifle left Tromell's chest and moved to point at Ashlin. He pulled the trigger with a simple, detached movement, and a bullet of some sort exited the gun and whizzed in the air toward her. Ashlin slid to a stop, but the bullet did not reach her. It, instead, hit some sort of barrier and harmlessly fell into the snow. "Thanks," she called to Yuna, who had cast a protective spell. "You and Tromell should get out of here."

Yuna, however, shook her head. "No, I can't leave you alone."

"I'm your guardian," pointed out Ashlin. "I need to look out for you; not the other way around."

A smile appeared on Yuna's face. "I think you _need _to be looked after," she remarked, making Ashlin blush. Then, she turned to Tromell. "Sir, I must help her. Could you move off to the side so you won't be hurt?" Though Tromell seemed hesitate to do so, he complied with Yuna as Ashlin stood beside her. They stood before the Al Bhed with determined expressions. "Who are you?" she demanded of him.

"My name is Rupin," he replied, "and I am here to save you." Yuna clutched her rod a little tighter, and Ashlin took a few steps toward him. She realized his left arm no longer had the glove on it but still bore the marks from where Rikku's claw had cut him. Rupin chuckled at her. "We meet again, Ashlin."

Yuna looked at her. "Again?"

"When I met Rikku at the Moonflow, he ambushed us," she explained, "and started to tell a story about his sons. He seems to know Rikku."

With a chuckle, Rupin replied, "Almost all Al Bhed know Rikku; she is the daughter of the Al Bhed leader, Cid."

"And we all know how you know me," she mumbled.

"Just one of the many foolish Al Bhed acting as a pet to Yevonites," he noted. "You are hiding, so tayn. **(Note: 'my dear'.) **Behind your past and, now, behind your summoner. If you are truly determined to be a good guardian, then should you really be hiding behind your summoner?"

Though she hated to admit it, this stranger wasn't wrong. "Yuna, I really want you to go ahead. I promise I'll catch up." Rupin watched them with amusement.

After a moment, Yuna asked, "Can you whistle?"

Ashlin was caught off guard. "Huh?"

"Well, can you? Like this." She put her two fingers in her mouth as she had in Luca and blew. Ashlin tried and, after a moment, it worked. Yuna nodded with satisfaction. "Good. Tidus taught that to me, you know, in case I needed him. I think you should do it, too. I will go on without you. Just be careful, okay? Whistle if you need help."

Ashlin nodded, feeling as though she had just learned a particularly intimate secret and wondering if Tidus would mind. Her eyes returned to Rupin. Would he really allow Yuna to leave that easily? "You too," she replied, watching the man carefully. "Now, hurry. Go."

Yuna nodded and Tromell quickly reappeared beside Yuna. As they started to move down the path, Rupin blocked them. "Now, I never said that I would allow her to leave." The gun was pointed at Tromell's heart.

A gunshot rang in the air, and Tromell all but jumped out of his skin. Blood dripped onto the ground, contrasting with the pure white snow. The crimson liquid did not belong to the Guado, but the Al Bhed, who was clutching his shoulder in pain. Ashlin held the pistol uneasily in her left hand. "Go now!" she ordered. Yuna nodded, and she and Tromell left the area as fast as possible.

Rupin glowered at Ashlin. "Hn. Perhaps you are a little more intelligent than I first thought."

"No, I think you're just dumber than you knew," replied Ashlin with a smile as she put away the pistol.

He removed his hand from his shoulder and allowed the blood to flow freely. His hand was red from it, and the sticky liquid dripped onto the ground. "Incidentally, I do know of you for another reason. I met your mother once."

Ashlin blinked and was caught off guard. "Wh-what?" The wind howled around them, and she was quite sure that the snow was going to cause her bare stomach to freeze and her toes, soon enough, were going to become frostbitten.

"Yes, she came to Home once in search of someone. I found her and her Yevonite master wandering in the desert. Out of the kindness of my heart, I brought them Home so that they would not drop dead in the desert. She told me that she had a daughter, whose name she had picked because of a dream of a better life for her. And here you are. Tell me, would your mother think this a better life for you?"

Ashlin scowled. "Don't talk about her like you actually _knew _her. You didn't."

"Did you? She told me you were young, then she was killed by Sin as they left the island. You couldn't have known her, either." Ashlin did not respond with words but her sword. Her hands moved on their own and diagonally sliced into his chest. "Ah, touchy, touchy." Rupin raised the rifle again, and there was no way it would miss this time. He pulled the trigger, quickly, and a bullet ripped into her right shoulder – ironically, she noted it was the same body part she had injured on him. The only difference was that, while Rupin was left handed, Ashlin was right-handed.

A giant explosion sounded somewhere behind them. "Ah, it seems that the others have failed," he murmured.

"Others?" replied Ashlin as she held her shoulder, her sword laying in the snow. "What others?"

"The Al Bhed who were too slow to get Yuna, so they were to serve as a distraction for her guardians. Unfortunately, you followed her," he grunted. "Had I known, it would not have mattered. You are a disappointment; you are weak. One gunshot, and you have given up the fight. I have no desire to deal with you further."

Ashlin glared at him and bent down to grab her sword without taking her eyes from him. Though it hurt to wield the sword, she held it up higher and attempted a jump attack. Unsurprisingly, he shot at her again, and hit her in the stomach. She collapsed into the snow in a heap. Rupin shook his head. "_Such _a disappointment. Tell me, how have you survived all these years on your own? Then again, I suppose it has only been three years. Before then, you had two others taking care of you, babying you. You should have been killed by that fiend that day. You are weak," he repeated.

She lifted her head a few inches above the snow. "H-how do you know all of that?"

Even Rupin seemed surprised by his own words. "I-it matters n-not," he sputtered. Ashlin managed to raise her sword a little. "Will you strike me from where you lay?" The arrogance returned with a vengeance.

"Yes." She pointed the sword upwards despite the pain it caused. A thunder spell coursed through the blade and struck Rupin. It was by no means very strong, but it was enough to make him fall back a few steps. Ashlin stood up and tried to ignore the blood - her blood - that covered the snow in a large amount. While she wanted to know why Rupin seemed to know so much about her, she had to catch up with Yuna. After sheathing the sword, she spared Rupin one passing glance before running down the path.

Rupin glowered at her and muttered, "You will not get away that easily." The spell had struck his other shoulder, so it was bleeding, too. He raised his rifle once more once she was much further down the trail and shot her.

**xxx**

The guard at the entrance to Macalania Temple bowed to Yuna as she and Tromell approached. "Lady Yuna, we have been anxiously awaiting your arrival! It is nice to see you."

Yuna smiled and also bowed. "Thank you." After a moment of hesitation, she said, "There is an Al Bhed girl who was with me-"

"Would you like us to get rid of her?" he asked immediately.

She shook her head earnestly. "No, no! She is one of my guardians. If she should come here after I've already gone inside, allow her entry."

Though the guard did not seem to approve of this, he agreed. "Yes, my lady. Now, go inside. Maester Seymour eagerly awaits your answer."

Tromell led her inside, and she was momentarily distracted by its beauty. It was a large, domed foyer with a small moat that separated the entryway from the rest of the room (though a small path built over it remedied that easily). There were three doors, as there were in most temples, with a staircase leading to the one that led into the cloisters. "Lord Seymour is in the back, if you'll come with me."

As they moved for the ground-level room on the right, Shelinda stopped them. "Oh, Lady Yuna! I have heard the wonderful news. I am so excited for you!"

"News?" repeated Yuna.

"Yes, that you are to wed Maester Seymour. All of Spira is buzzing with it!"

Yuna blinked. "Oh. How did you...?"

"The Guado have been telling everyone," beamed Shelinda. "I wish you the greatest happiness."

Yuna bowed. "Thank you." Then, she followed Tromell into the room. Inside were two Guado guardians and Seymour.

"Lord Seymour, Lady Yuna has arrived," announced Tromell.

Seymour turned toward them. Yuna and Seymour did the praying gesture to one another. "Lady Yuna, how good to see you again. Admittedly, I did not expect you would reach your answer so quickly, but I am quite eager to hear it."

Yuna nodded. "Yes. I have decided that-"

"Why do we not discuss this in the Cloisters?" interrupted Seymour. "Leave your things here, and we will get you the aeon of this temple."

"Alright," she agreed as she set down her pack.

Seymour turned toward his advisor. "Tromell, you may stay back and..." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "Deter any unwanted visitors?"

Tromell nodded. "Yes, my lord."

"Come, Lady Yuna." Seymour, flanked by his two guardians, started out of the room with Yuna in tow. When they entered the foyer, they found Ashlin arguing with another Guado guardian.

"I am Yuna's _guardian. _She wants me here."

The guardian shook his head and regarded her skeptically. "I do not believe you." His eyes fell to the red and gold carpet, which Ashlin's blood was currently ruining.

"It doesn't matter what _you _believe," growled Ashlin as her eyes looked over him and caught Yuna's. "Oh, Yuna!"

Yuna started for her immediately with Seymour following not too far behind. "She is my guardian," she informed the guardian.

"She is an Al Bhed," he answered with disgust.

"I would not care if she was half-hypello, she is my guardian. Let her in." Begrudgingly, the guardian moved aside and allowed Ashlin to join Yuna.

Seymour stopped beside Yuna. "Ashlin, you may wait in here while Yuna and I complete the trials."

Ashlin, however, shook her head. This seemed to annoy the Guado - particularly the one who had barred her entry - even more. "I am Yuna's guardian. Guardians complete the trials with their summoner. I promise not to disturb the two of you, but I must insist that I come with."

"I do believe that I and my guardians will be enough protection?"

A smile appeared on Ashlin's lips as she tilted her head to the side. "What if it's you that she needs protecting from?"

Nervous, Yuna pleaded, "Allow her to join us. I promise she will not be a burden."

As begrudgingly as the other Guado, Seymour agreed, "If you must."

**xxx**

"Your brother's kind of a jerk," remarked Tidus who had his arms rested behind his head as they moved out of the open area and onto the isolated trail. "But I already kind of knew that from when we met."

Rikku giggled from beside him. The two of them were walking at the front of the group with Wakka picking up the rear. The run-in with the Al Bheds - particularly knowing that the leader of the attack was Rikku's brother - had made him sour once again. "He's my older brother; of course he's a jerk. But... He's just like most Al Bhed, you know? Mistrustful of Yevon and all that jazz."

"He shot you with a giant canon!" pointed out Tidus.

She examined herself, briefly, for wounds. They were all more than a little bloodied up. "Well... yeah." Rikku rubbed the back of her head. "Now my pops knows what I'm doing. I wonder what he'll think."

Tidus was surprised. "He didn't know?"

"No. I broke away from Brother at the Moonflow when I spotted you and Ash in the river. After we fought that giant meanie, I washed up on the shore, and I couldn't find Brother. Okay, I didn't look _hard_, but you get my point. I knew that a bunch of Al Bhed were stationed at the Moonflow to kidnap summoners, so I stayed near where you guys were camped out to make sure no one tried to take Yunie. I thought after I met up with Ash that the big meanie who threatened us was going to tell pops, but I guess he didn't."

"What big meanie?" asked Tidus.

"Some old Al Bhed," she replied. "He actually seemed more keen on lecturing me and threatening Ash, though."

"An Al Bhed was that close to our camp?" exclaimed Wakka from behind them.

Rikku grinned. "Bet you're glad you had Ash and I on your side after all, huh?"

"At least you've never attacked us," he mumbled.

The grin promptly slipped off Rikku's face. "Hey! Lookie!" She had stopped walking and was now staring intently at the snow ahead of them. There was quite the amount of blood coloring the white and, further ahead, a whole trail seemed to lead to the temple. "Oh, no! You don't think Yunie was hurt, do you?"

Everyone was suddenly gathered around the blood. Lulu clutched her moogle a little tighter. "We'd better hurry."

**xxx**

As promised, Ashlin did not invade the space of Yuna and Seymour, but that did not mean she was not listening to them. Even if her fight skills sucked (and, after getting easily shot twice, she was starting to believe this), her hearing did not. It was one of her better survival skills.

"I have decided that I will take your hand in marriage," mumbled Yuna as she looked down at a Macalania sphere. The cloister was basically repairing the bridge so that they could enter the Chamber of Fayth.

Seymour took her free hand into both of his. He was smiling. "I am so pleased to hear that, Lady Yuna."

"But," began Yuna, who was clearly uncomfortable, "I want to continue my pilgrimage."

He nodded. "Of course. I will join you."

Uncomfortable turned to pure discomfort. "O-oh. But, the rest of my guardians..."

"Lady Yunalesca only had her Lord Zaon. You do not need them." He was still smiling, though it was starting to seem forced.

Yuna swallowed. "Yes, but they are my friends-"

"Love is a bond stronger than friendship," replied Seymour as he took the sphere from her hand and put it in a new slot. The bridge was almost completely repaired now.

Both parties were starting to get annoyed, but it was more apparent in Yuna as she slid her hand out of Seymour's and grabbed a new sphere. "I... disagree. I love my friends."

Ashlin chewed on her lip. _'If Yuna can't even win this argument, then how can she talk Seymour into turning himself in?' _

"If you'd like, you may join us, too, but I won't allow my guardians to have come this far with me for nothing." Yuna's tone was final, and Seymour seemed surprised by her resolve. The room was silent, aside from the sound of Ashlin's chattering teeth, until Yuna placed sphere into the final slot, thus completing the bridge. She returned to Ashlin's side and the latter put a hand on her shoulder.

With her voice a whisper, Ashlin asked, "When are you going to confront him?"

"Once I get the fayth," promised Yuna. "This is... a lot harder than I expected."

Ashlin giggled without humor. "Seymour's not a maester without reason." Yuna nodded. "But I know you can do it. And, if you really need to, I'll hit him, I swear. I have no problem hitting a maester, even if it gets me sent to Bevelle's prison."

Yuna managed a small laugh. "I appreciate that."

Seymour joined them. "Are we ready?" They nodded and walked back up the staircase leading to the mouth of the newly formed bridge. After crossing it, they went through a door that led to a decently sized room containing the door to the Chamber of Fayth.

"I'm going to pray now," announced Yuna, her eyes lingering on Ashlin's.

Ashlin smiled. "I'll be good. Go ahead!" After a moment's hesitation, Yuna entered the door, and the Al Bhed found herself alone with Seymour and his guardians.

"So," began Seymour once silence filled the room for an uncomfortably long moment. "Are we really going to continue this?"

"Continue what?" asked Ashlin innocently.

Seymour chuckled, turning away from the chamber's door in order to face her. "Shall we go on like we have never met?"

"We did meet. We met at the entrance to Mushroom Rock Road."

"Stop your childish games; I have no patience for them. It has been a while, Ashlin."

Ashlin inclined her head ever so slightly. "Yes, it has."

"You look a little beat up. Your calf has been bleeding all over this temple," he noted. "It reminds me of the first time we met."

"Do we really have to go down memory lane?" she groaned.

_It was three years previous in Guadosalam, and the town, as usual, was bustling with mostly Guado. Seymour, twenty-five, wandered through the city. He had plans to visit Zanarkand in a few days and deal with Anima's fayth statue. Passersby had been mentioning a horrible storm in the Thunder Plains, so he thought to check it out. When he reached the slope leading into the plains, he was surprised at what he found. A young Al Bhed girl was collapsed half-way into the city. _

_He moved to her side immediately and bent down beside her. "Are you alright?" _

_The girl, much to his surprise, picked up her head a little. Her body was a mess of cuts, bruises, dirt and mud. "Ungh..." She dropped her head back to the ground, and he promptly whisked her into his arms and started into the rest house in the city. _

_The Guado behind the counter regarded him with a perplexed expression. "What's happened, Lord Seymour?"_

_"This girl was collapsed outside of the city. She needs medical attention." The Guado woman nodded._

_"Alright, I'll take care of her. Follow me." He followed her down a hallway and into one of the single rooms. The woman gestured for him to place her on the bed. "Thank you, Lord Seymour. Come back and see her later." And so he had. He had waited about an hour or so, killing time by explaining to his father what had happened. His father, whom he still had a hard time standing most of the time. When he returned to the inn, the Guado was back at the desk. She smiled at him. "All done. You can go see her."_

_Seymour returned to the room, and found her sleeping peacefully. When he closed the door, she woke up. "My apologies. I didn't mean to wake you."_

_She looked up at him with cloudy green eyes. More bandages than clothes covered her body. "Who are you?" Her voice was groggy. "Where am I?" The sleep finally left her as she sprung up, wincing in the process. "I have to leave. I have to find Jaidan and Aimee!"_

_Seymour moved over to her and lightly pushed her down before sitting in a chair beside the bed. "My name is Seymour. I am the priest of Macalania Temple. You are in Guadosalam." She nodded her head slowly. "What's your name?"_

_After a moment's hesitation, she answered, "Ashlin. I..." She trailed off as her expression became somber. "I can't find Jaidan and Aimee."_

_"Who?"_

_"My friends," she clarified. _

_"Why?" He did not know why he was talking with her. She was Al Bhed, one of the most (if not the most) hated races in Spira. Who knows how long she was collapsed in the city. Many people probably just passed her by. Maybe that was why he felt obligated to speak with her. He could understand her. _

_Ashlin looked down at the red comforter covering most of her body. "I don't know if I can talk about it. I should leave."_

_"You should stay until your wounds are healed," he replied. "I will leave you, if you wish." _

_"...No, no. Stay. I haven't talked to another person in a really long time."_

_And that was how it had been for about a week. He put off his visit to Zanarkand (though he hated himself for doing it) and visited her every day. Eventually, she admitted that a fiend had killed her companions, and she had wandered from Macalania Woods to Guadosalam. The fiends were difficult in the woods and plains, and she was so exhausted that she simply collapsed. He felt badly for her. _

_Exactly a week after he had found her, the Guado woman announced that she was well enough to leave. Seymour knew the only reason she had allowed Ashlin to stay for so long was because of him, but she was now eager to get rid of the Al Bhed. "You could come with me," he told her. _

_"Come with you. Where?" She asked._

_"Zanarkand."_

_Ashlin was reminded of the Zanarkand she had been told about by Jecht when she was seven. He had said it was a city that never slept; a city of lights. Auron had promptly squashed her and Aimee's dreams by saying that it was nothing like that; it was ruins. "Why do you want me to come with you to Zanarkand?" _

_"You have to leave this place," he remarked. "Are you really going to leave on your own? No one will accept you because of your blood."_

_"Then, why do you?"_

_"Because I know what it is like to be unaccepted because of what flows through your veins," he answered darkly. "You have never been on your own. You cannot do it." _

_Ashlin pursed her lips. "I can do it if I believe I can do it." It was a clichéd response, but she did not like being told what she could and could not do by a total stranger. _

_Seymour was relentless. "You will either come with me, or you will go to jail."_

_"Jail?" she echoed incredulously._

_"Yes. For killing your friends."_

_Ashlin blanched. "I didn't kill them!"_

_"Who will the maesters of Yevon believe? You or the priest of Macalania Temple?" A cruel smile spread across Seymour's lips._

_"Do you want to know why I really don't want to go with you? It's because words whispered through prison bars lose their charm. You were nice, at first, but I see it, your bitterness. I can't do it. I can't be around you. You made the mistake of falling in love with a broken creature, and now you're trying to keep it with you, even if that means never letting it fly again."_

_Seymour frowned. "I will take care of you, Ashlin. We are both outcasts-"_

_"You don't know me. I feel bad for you, Seymour," she said with a truly sad expression. "You've been unable to find anyone to connect with on a personal level for so long that you're going after the first thing that you are able to connect with. I have my whole life ahead of me, and so do you. If you are to pursue any relationship with me - even friendship - you will be dropped from your priest position."_

_"We can keep it a secret," he argued._

_Ashlin shook her head. "Though I don't know much of what it means to be Al Bhed, I do know one thing: freely showing off your emotions is in your blood. I can't hide a damn thing." She rose from her bed and put her feet on the ground. She was wearing a black dress with a golden dragon depicted on it, and her blue-green ribbon was tied around her arm. "I've been ready to go for a while. I was just waiting for you to say goodbye. Maybe you like me, but you're making it sound like you love me. You don't love me. You're in love with the idea of being in love with someone. I'm sorry you've been lonely for so long, but I can't help you."_

_She looked him straight in the eye. "Quite frankly, you scare me. I don't want to see you again."_

_As she rose from her bed and turned to face him, he also rose to his feet. "Fair enough. Return to Guadosalam again, and I will have you thrown into the Via Purifico."_

"Good times," remarked Ashlin, if not a little bitterly. "My feelings haven't changed about you. In fact, they've gotten worse. Why do you want to marry Yuna?"

Seymour smiled. "Because I love her."

"Why do you insist on lying and pretending?" She nearly shouted it, and the guardians were now watching her very carefully. "Is it because she's Lord Braska's daughter? Are you in love with the position of power she kind of has?"

"You do not understand, Ashlin, which is not much of a surprise. You are Al Bhed."

Ashlin glowered at him. "I thought you said we were the same?"

"That was three years ago, when I was still foolish. Things have changed. I am to wed Lord Braska's daughter."

"I don't want you to."

Seymour chuckled. "Why? Have you had feelings for me all this time after all?"

"No," she replied, staring at him intently as her right hand hovered near her sword's hilt. "Because Yuna is good and pure and just plain amazing. And an amazing person loves her, and I know she loves him back. I don't want you to ruin Yuna, and I don't want you to ruin her chance at true love."

At this, his laugh became much more sinister. "Have you forgotten her destiny, heathen fool?"

"Love doesn't have to last forever. It just has to be real and true and have meaning."

"A romantic, are we?"

Ashlin narrowed her eyes. "Yuna may die, but... I don't know. Maybe there's another way."

"There _is _no other way. The only way to end Sin is not to end Sin at all. It is to take away Spira from Sin."

"There must be a way. How could it be fair for there not to be a way?"

With a glint in his eye, Seymour replied, "Life is not fair."

"Your life wasn't fair, but you don't have to be so damn bitter about it!"

The glint faded and changed to a look of pure hatred. "You understand nothing." Without another word, he raised his staff and cast a thundara spell at her, which promptly knocked her to the floor.

At the same time, the door to the cloisters opened as the guardians entered, and Tidus shouted, "Seymour!"

* * *

**Note: Oh, I am just full of surprises. **** :D Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Next update will probably be tomorrow some time. **


	11. You Won't Let Me Down

**Chapter Ten:  
**You Won't Let Me Down

**Note: This chapter is basically just one huge battle scene, just so you know. Thank you for your reviews! I may or may not update tomorrow; I have to take a trip to school and... do stuff. D: Enjoy!**

* * *

Rikku crossed the room in a few bounds and stood in front of Ashlin. "Maester Seymour, y-you...!" Wakka was clearly lost for words. "That's not... right..."

"Stop your shouts. Lady Yuna is praying to the fayth," remarked Seymour as if nothing had just happened. As if they had not just caught him attacking Ashlin.

"Explain yourself," demanded Auron.

Seymour stared at him nonchalantly. "What would you like me to explain, sir?"

Rikku, never one to contain herself, blurted out, "Why you hurt Ash would be a good one."

"We watched your dad's sphere!" announced Tidus. "Explain _that_, huh?"

The door behind Seymour opened. "As for your first question, I am afraid that your Al Bhed friend attacked me first. I was simply defending myself."

Ashlin wiped some blood that was trickling from her mouth off with the back of her wrist. "Pimmcred!" **(A/n: That's a funny word. It means 'bullshit'.) **

"As for the second," Seymour continued as if she had not protested, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Yuna looked a little weak, but she attempted to hide it. "What's going on?"

"Your guardian attacked me, and then the rest of them barged in," answered Seymour. "That is why you do not need them for the remainder of your pilgrimage."

Yuna looked over to Ashlin, who was sitting up and appeared to be bleeding from her mouth and left shoulder. She did not seem to believe him, but she was still confused. Her eyes found Tidus'. Tidus flung out his left arm. "He's lying, Yuna! Don't believe him!"

"We saw the sphere," explained Lulu.

Yuna nodded. "I...see."

"And so has she. Yet, she still agreed to take my hand in marriage..." mused Seymour. "It changes nothing."

Yuna's eyes settled on each of her guardians. "You're wrong," she replied quietly. "It changes everything."

"Is that so?" Seymour tilted his head to the side. "What has changed, if you don't mind my asking?"

"You are... not the man I thought you were," she admitted. "I came here to stop you, and the only reason I agreed to marriage was because... I wanted you to turn yourself in. I don't want to marry you; I never did."

Seymour nodded and glanced over his shoulder and sent a withering glare Ashlin's way that made Rikku shiver. "I suppose you were right," he told her. Then, he turned back to Yuna. "So, you have decided that marriage will not make me turn myself in?"

Yuna shook her head. "I've decided that a marriage to you is not worth it."

"I can give you anything you desire, Lady Yuna." Seymour offered a hand to her as she walked down the steps. For a moment, Tidus was worried she was going to take it. Then, she shook her head once more and drew her free hand away. Ashlin rose to her feet as the guardians surrounded Yuna in a protective circle. "This is where the alliances lay? You will all be prosecuted as enemies of Yevon."

"No, they will understand. You killed Maester Jyscal!" exclaimed Yuna.

Seymour chuckled. "They will not hear your pleas, for your pilgrimage ends here." The two guardians stood on either side of him as he rose his staff.

"Seymour can use that really powerful Aeon," mumbled Ashlin. "That's a really scary thought."

Tidus pumped his fist into the air. "Well, we're just gonna have to take care of him before he can summon it!"

Seymour shook his head. "You are foolish for defying me; your bodies shall lie here forever."

"Not if we have something to say about it!" argued Rikku.

He chuckled as he raised his staff. "We shall see just what, exactly, you will say about this." His eyes, for just a brief moment, found and settled on Ashlin. "There is no way to understand another's pain unless you witness it first hand. I will make you feel my pain! Come, now, Anima!"

Rikku noticed that the others looked concerned. "What's Anima?" Her answer came quickly enough in the form of the room darkening, and a fiery hellish portal appearing on the ground. A giant hook materialized out of nowhere and dropped into the portal. As it began to pull up, the ground began to tremble ferociously. "What is that?"

"A very powerful aeon," answered Lulu as she gripped her moogle a little tighter.

Ashlin stared up at Anima as she was yanked out of her hell and roared a cry that sounded truly pained. The last time she had seen the aeon, they had both, technically, been on the same side. Now, Anima was facing on the opposite side and she did not appear too happy to see them. "What are we going to do?" she asked no one in particular.

Yuna, who still seemed fatigue, held her rod a little tighter. She had already been through one large battle that day against the Spherimorph, and she was exhausted from gaining her new aeon. Yet, she said, "Stand back. I'll summon." Ashlin wanted to argue, and she knew that she was not the only one. However, they had seen what Anima could do, and there was no way that they could take her on with their weapons. They all moved away from Yuna as she held her rod before her.

Unlike her other summons, Yuna did not twirl her rod for this one. As she held onto the rod, an dark electric energy (which Rikku shied away from) exploded around the rod and electric energy, like lightning bolts, rained from the sky around her. The electricity was absorbed into the rod, which Yuna promptly pointed at a higher point in the air that seemingly only she could see. Doing this resulted in a portal sparking with electrical energy to form. With a stream of electricity connecting the rod and portal, Yuna pulled back and, slowly but surely, a unicorn was drawn out.

The unicorn was somewhat skeleton like with bits of hair covering it (particularly its tail, mane, hooves, and part of its side) and had a yellow horn shaped something like a hook with a gem hanging off of it. As it landed before Yuna, it reared and let loose a demented neigh; Ashlin loved him immediately. Yuna stared at her aeon, in awe of his beauty. "N-nice to meet you."

Seymour smirked. "Your pony does not stand a chance. Anima!" There was another horrendous roar from the aeon as its eyes began to glow with a dark energy. The unicorn stared up at Anima bravely as it pawed against the ground in a ferocious fashion. Anima's head moved back a few inches before a dark energy blast hit him, forcing one of his front legs to buckle a little.

"Ixion!" cried Yuna. The unicorn recovered quickly, his breathing just a little labored, and his horn began to crackle with energy. Ixion shook his head, and what looked like a small gust of wind flew off of his horn and hit Anima. Anima did not so much as flinch.

Wakka looked up at Seymour's aeon with a nervous expression. "Can it really take down that thing?"

"Yuna has faith in her aeons, so should you, Wakka!" Tidus told him; Wakka sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

Auron watched the fight intensely, ready to spring in and help Yuna if she needed it. "Blind faith can lead you astray."

"But without some type of faith, what do you have left to go on?" asked Ashlin. "It's better to have blind faith in someone than nothing at all." Ixion's pained neigh drew everyone's attention back to the battle. Another attack from Anima had forced the summon to his knees. Yuna appeared discouraged as she looked up at Anima, who was slowly becoming more and more enraged.

Taking what Ashlin said to hurt, Rikku called, "Yunie! You can do it, Yunie! We all believe in you!"

Yuna took strength from her words and grasped her rod a little tighter. She nodded. "Right! Ixion, overdrive!" **(A/n: I hate how that makes it sound like a Pokemon battle, but I can't imagine how else it would work.) **The room began to darken once more, but it felt less sinister this time. Ixion's horn was glowing with energy once again, but it was ten times more intense this time. A beam of intense energy shot out of the horn and gathered around Anima, slowly lifting her into the air. Once she was quite high, a devastating energy beam exited Ixion's horn and hit Anima before dropping her to the ground. The resulting shockwave felt more like an earthquake than anything else. Anima finally began to show signs of injury and pain.

Seymour frowned and looked at his guardians. "Kill them. I will take care of Lady Yuna." The two nodded and ran around Seymour and Yuna's battle to face off against the guardians.

"Wha? We've been demoted to _these _bozos?" complained Tidus as he held Brotherhood at his side.

"Beats the hell out of attacking a maester, ya?" mumbled Wakka.

Lulu shook her head. "Wakka, we made a vow to protect Yuna. Against everyone and anyone. The guardian's oath does not change under any circumstance."

"Yevon wishes it did," remarked Auron as they lined up before the Guado. Wakka drew from an adrenaline rush as he pulled the ball back and hurled it at one of the guardians while Kimahri struck at the other. Almost immediately, both Guado healed themselves with a potion of sorts. Ashlin and Tidus then attacked but ended with the same result. "Enough! We are in need of a plan."

Rikku pumped her fist into the air. "I'll pickpocket 'em! Ash, try to keep up," she added with a grin.

"Oh, I'll try." Ashlin had stolen off of fiends in the past but never off an intelligent being, like a Guado. Still, she would give it a try. "No more of your la-dee-freaking-da potions!"

"Trying to give up swearing?" wondered Tidus. She nodded. "How's that going?" A thunder spell from one of the guardians hit her foot, causing her to scream an obscenity.

Ashlin grimaced. "Not so well."

"Focus!" ordered Auron.

"Yep, yep!" answered Rikku before glancing at Ashlin. "Ready, set... go!" They both ran with their exceptional Al Bhed speed with Rikku arriving at her target first. She did not have to knock him over and simply picked his pocket of all potions. Ashlin, however, had trouble. She felt awkward standing before the Guado as she attempted to pick his pocket, and it showed in her effectiveness. The guardian pulled something that looked like a potion out of his pocket and threw it in her face.

Ashlin found that, for a few moments, she could not see and towered back a few steps. "Ash, c'mon! Get the potions!" shouted Rikku from somewhere off to the side; she nodded in response and unsheathed her sword. "Well, I guess you could use that..." Without warning, she rushed at Rikku with the blade raised. Rikku held up her hands. "W-what are you doing? Ashlin!" Rikku easily dodged Ashlin's blow and did so the next few times that she was attacked. "Cdub!"

"Rikku, get the other potion!" commanded Lulu.

Rikku dodged another slice from Ashlin. "How can I?"

"I'll take care of Ashlin," offered Wakka. No one liked the sound of it, but no one argued. As Rikku knocked over the other guard, she stole the potions and returned to the others. Wakka hurled his ball at Ashlin's head, nearly knocking her over in the process, but snapped her out of her confusion.

Tidus rubbed the back of his head. "I guess that works..."

"Move!" shouted Seymour suddenly to his guardians. They promptly returned to his side, and the guardians returned to Yuna's. Anima was glowing with dark power and growling. Suddenly, the same portal that Anima had been pulled out of appeared beneath their feet, sending them beneath the ground. They were floating before Anima still, but it was not the same one. This one was feral looking with spikes and horns and white hair a mess. Its hands were shackled together, but this was promptly remedied when she broke free of her binds. Her mouth opened in a deep growl to reveal two rows of lethal-looking, razor sharp teeth.

Rikku took a few steps back, surprised that she was able to do so while floating in nothingness, and pressed herself against someone without care of who it was. The person gripped onto her tightly. Tidus moved closer to Yuna, and Wakka did the same with Lulu. The other Anima roared like a predator as its fists glowed with energy, which turned into fiery blasts as she threw punches at them. There was a final guttural growl and a great blast that knocked them all flat on their backs.

Miraculously, they returned to the overworld but remained on their backs. Yuna used her weapon to help her stand just as Ixion fell to all fours and faded into a cloud of pyreflies, which returned to his Fayth. "Have you and your guardians yet have enough, Lady Yuna?" inquired Seymour in a light voice as he grinned.

Yuna tried to catch her breath as she stared at him. "That was..." What could she say? 'That was wrong!' Well, he knew that. Using Anima on the whole group and not just Ixion; it was horrendously horrible, but it wouldn't change what had transpired. Or how Seymour felt about doing it. She shook her head. "We won't give in to you!"  
He tilted his head ever so slightly to the side. His smile seemed so misplaced with Anima roaring over him. "Really? It seems your guardians already have." Yuna turned around and was horrified by what she saw. They were all on the ground, covering in severe cuts and burns. Kimahri was able to stand up, and Auron, who had been holding onto Rikku, lightly set her onto the ground. She turned back to face the maester. "Give up?"

Kimahri and Auron stood on either side of her, and Yuna let go of a breath that she had been unaware she was holding. "They will recover," stated Auron, sensing her worry.

"We help Yuna," grunted Kimahri.

Yuna nodded and gripped her rod tight once more. "No. I've already told you that we won't give up. No matter what."

"You fight for no cause, Lady Yuna."

"I fight for justice, Seymour!" She blinked, somewhat surprised at herself for dropping the honorific. Her resolve was tight, and she raised her rod again. "I will summon once more." Kimahri and Auron nodded as they took a few steps behind her.

Yuna closed her eyes momentarily and raised her rod. A sudden cold breeze blew through the area as snow fell from the sky. Then, she crouched down and flung her arms out as three large chunks of ice dropped behind her. Drifting with the snow (or, maybe, the other way around) was an ethereal being, who floated into the ice. The being, a blue-skinned woman, looked up and the ice shattered, sending splinters into Anima, Seymour, and the guardians. She pulled off her blue cloak and precariously threw it; Yuna caught it as it floated harmlessly toward her. "Shiva, please help us."

Shiva seemed to smile for a moment as she placed one hand on her hip and the other went over her head and then suddenly dropped to her side. This resulted in a mega-sized ice chunk dropping from the sky and onto Anima, who roared in pain and was starting to show some real signs of fatigue. Yuna wanted to feel relieved but refused to allow herself until the aeon was gone. Before Anima had a chance to counter, Shiva dropped another chunk of ice on her.

Anima roared with anger and immediately retaliated with Pain. Shiva fell to one knee but seemed to become more determined. "I will show you pain," breathed the Aeon, surprising Yuna quite a bit. She put her index and middle fingers to her lips and began to twirl, snow drifting around her body like a long shawl. Ice blew behind Seymour, his guardians, and Anima, and Shiva raised her arms as a giant ball of ice hovered over her hands. With the same setup as Wakka, she pulled the ice behind her and hurled it at Anima, her summoner, and his handlers.

Once they were encased in ice, Shiva stared at them with detachment. Then, she held out her right hand and snapped, causing the ice to shatter which, at the same time, damaged the now-freed Seymour and his party. Anima roared once, then once more, and disappeared from their sight. Yuna finally allowed herself to breathe a breath of relief. "It is not yet over," announced Auron as he and Kimahri rejoined her.

Yuna nodded. Seymour was still standing, though it obviously took him much to do so, but he stood alone. The guardians had been wiped out with Anima. A Thundara spell cracked from the spot above Seymour, striking him. Lulu and Wakka joined them. "Are you both alright?" asked Yuna.

Wakka waved her off. "Ah, we're fine! Maybe down, but never out, ya?"

Yuna smiled, but it soon faded. "What about the others?"

"They'll recover," repeated Auron.

Behind them, Ashlin, Rikku and Tidus pulled themselves into sitting positions. Without words, Rikku threw a hi-potion to Seymour. She winked. "Jealous, we both know you want to be part of this!"

Tidus stood and found that it did not hurt too terribly badly when he did so. "Thanks," he said to Rikku before joining the others. The two Al Bhed then began to dig into their potion supplies until they were, at the very least, able to stand without too much pain.

Auron and Kimahri rushed Seymour at the same time as Lulu cast another thundara spell. Once they moved, Wakka hurled his blitz ball at the maester. "This is for being a creep!" exclaimed Tidus as he landed a blow that forced Seymour to his knees. He fell to the floor and did not get up again.

Once she was sure it was safe, Yuna ran toward him, ignoring the shouts of her guardians. She bent down over Seymour, and he chuckled without humor. "This could have been avoided," she whispered.

"No, it could not have," he argued. "You have liberated me, Lady Yuna. For that, I thank you."

"Liberated?" she repeated with confusion. Seymour simply stared up at the ceiling with a smile on his lips. He did not blink and his eyes became distant. Yuna bowed her head a little before closing his eyelids gently.

"The ability to feel compassion for your enemies. That is what makes for a great summoner," decided Auron as he and the others joined her. The door leading to the trials flew open and Tromell, flanked by a few aids and some guardians, ran inside in a hurry.

Tromell looked from Seymour's dead form to Yuna, who was raising her rod, and blanched. "You! Get away from him!" She did not move and started to send him. It took a thunder spell from one of the Guado to force her away and stop the sending.

Kimahri ran in front of her immediately. "Not attack Yuna!"

"You have killed Lord Seymour!" roared Tromell. "You shall pay for this!"

Rikku shook her head. "It wasn't our fault!"

Wakka was groaning and holding his head. "What've I done?"

"Look, Seymour attacked us!" shouted Tidus. "He's the evil one here!"

Tromell looked at him with disgust. "Blasphemy you speak. After killing him, you would think to soil his name?"

"Listen here, old man, you have no clue what you're talking about!" Tidus was seething. Auron put a hand on his shoulder, and he calmed.

"Get his body away from those traitors," demanded Tromell of the aids, who promptly rushed in and grabbed Seymour's body. They all but hissed at Yuna and the others as they retreated from the room. They were left alone.

Wakka covered his face. "Now we're really in for it..."

Yuna appeared to be on the verge of tears. "T-traitors?" What would her father think of this? Her body was shaking, and it was becoming a struggle to stand. Tidus moved to her side and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Ashlin rubbed her temples. "Now I'm really going to be thrown in the Via Purifico; Seymour would be pleased."

"If we tell them what we saw-" protested Tidus.

Auron shook his head. "It will not be as simple as you believe. We'll worry about this later. For now, we must leave." The Guado guardians reminded them of their appearance by casting a blizzara spell that hit each of them.

They all began to back away from the group of Guado. "Run!" shouted Lulu. They turned tail and exited the chamber, but they were followed closely. Once most of the group was across the bridge hanging above the trials, one of the guardians cast a fira spell that left a large gap in it. Rikku, Ashlin, and Yuna, who were at the end of the group because of their fatigue, were separated.

"Vilg!" cursed Ashlin as they turned back to find about four Guado facing them with less than friendly stares. "Now what?"

"Jump!" answered Rikku.

Ashlin turned toward her. "What? No! I can't jump; my calf..."

"It's our only chance," declared Yuna as she also turned away from the Guado. She held out a hand to Ashlin and Rikku. Then, they backed up a little and jumped across the gap in the bridge. The guardians attempted to cast spells at them, but they all missed.

They met with the others in the lobby. Tromell and more guardians were blocking off the exit, and their pursuing guardians came up behind them. They were trapped. Yuna raised her rod and, automatically, everyone stepped back. She was seriously drained now, her breathing hitched, and she had been doing too much with her aeons for that day. It was, in her mind, the easiest way to get out. A blaring light appeared from behind them, and a brilliant, large red bird glided up to Yuna, who patted the bird's beak before it flew in front of her.

Valefor raised her wings as she flew higher into the air while her beak began to glow with energy. An energy ray shot out of her beak and cut up the ground beneath Tromell and his guardians, burying them in rubble. Yuna promptly dismissed the great bird before she and the others made an escape while the debris from the attack left the Guado disoriented and confused.

**xxx**

The trek away from the temple was exhausting but, luckily, no fiends attacked them. "Where we goin'?" inquired Wakka.

**"Away," answered Auron. "It doesn't matter where."**

It was always nice to hear the undisputed leader in the group answering, in his own words, that he had no clue where they were going or what they were going to do. They were held up in the open, iced-over lake area. Several Guado were already awaiting them. "How is that possible?" demanded Ashlin.

"Tromell sent us ahead," answered one of the Guado in a raspy voice. Ashlin had, admittedly, been aware that guardians spoke. At the very least that they would speak to her. "You shall not pass."

Tidus stepped to the front of the group. "You don't get it! We're innocent. Seymour did an awful-"

"We know what he did," the Guado replied.

Tidus blinked. "…Oh."

"It doesn't matter. Tromell already has planned what he will tell the other maesters. If you do not die here, then you will in Bevelle."

"The other maesters will believe what they see, not what they hear from Tromell," argued Lulu.

The Guado inclined his head. "Perhaps." He threw the sphere, Jyscal's sphere, to the ground before them. Then, the ground shook as an overgrown snow abomination jumped over one of the snowy hills. It landed perfectly on Jyscal's sphere.

Everyone shouted. "No!"

"And, to make things even better…" The Guado cast a berserk-inducing spell on the Wendigo. He was obviously surprised when the beast, instead of attacking directly, pounded on the icy lake. Large cracks formed in the surface and rushed toward them very quickly. All of the cracks met up, and they were dropped into the water below.

* * *

**Note: I have a little disclaimer: Speed does not appear to be an actual trait of Al Bhed, so I have added it because I, well, can. xD**

**Cdub** - Stop!

**Vilg** - the 'f' bomb.


	12. Capture!

**Chapter Eleven**:  
Capture

**Note: Eleven chapters in and I have an important (but probably unsurprising) announcement! There is going to be at least one sequel to this story for sure. Maybe two. The next is gonna be X-2-ish but not quite? I'm not sure yet, as my attention is focused on this current one. Thought you guys should know. Enjoy. :)**

**Disclaimer - Don't own FFX. Oh, and while it likely goes without saying, but this story contains spoilers. This chapter in particular contains a slight spoiler of an item from X-2 called Gippal's sphere. Just thought I'd warn you in advance.**

* * *

Beneath the ice of Lake Macalania was a very strange place indeed. It was not filled with icy water, so they did not drown. Instead, they dropped all the way to the bottom, where there was a couple feet of cold water that reached up to the knees for most of them. Somehow, they had all managed to survive with nothing more than some bumps, bruises and headaches.

Lulu and Auron was located somewhat near the unconscious Tidus, while Kimahri and Rikku hovered over Yuna and Ashlin's sleeping forms with Wakka, who was holding his head, standing opposite them.

Ashlin was dreaming.

_"Praise be to Yevon that you're alright!" Ashlin was instantly reminded of the time he had said that to her and Aimee after they had been saved. Then, he had instantly gone into a long, furious lecture. She thought that she was just looking back at the memory of that, but this was not possible as an eighteen, or so, Jaidan was staring at her. He looked as she remembered him: his light brown hair was of medium length and an absolute mess. His arms and chest were somewhat toned, and he wore a long-sleeved blue tunic with a pair of loose-fitting beige pants. _

_She was still sixteen and was standing before him in their old campsite. "Me?"_

_"Do you see anyone else around?" Jaidan did not usually mock her because he was too busy acting like a parent to her and Aimee. _

_"This is a dream," she had to remind herself._

_Jaidan nodded. "Sadly enough, but even dreams can be real."_

_"What's that supposed to mean?"_

_"Well, one of the people you're- Nothing. I only meant that... Ah, forget it."_

_Ashlin managed a smile. "Man, you've gone crazy."_

_"It's an effect of essentially raising two girls. My mind has finally shut down. So, I see you've been having an interesting time." He climbed onto a flat crystal and sat on it as if it were a chair. "Wanna talk, sport?"_

_She rolled her eyes. "You're not real."_

_"Then, think of this as your psyche trying to get you to sort out what's been happening," he suggested. "Come on."_

_Deciding to throw him a bone, Ashlin sat cross-legged on the surprisingly warm ground before him like when she was a child. "I'm traveling with Lord Braska's daughter, you know. She's pretty cool, actually, but I'm not surprised what with her being half-Al Bhed and his daughter." Jaidan chuckled. "She's a very able summoner. I'm her guardian. Her _guardian_. Can you believe it?"_

_"I'm surprised," he admitted. "It doesn't seem like something you'd do."_

_"It beats the hell out of being thrown into jail for stealing. Without you and Aimee, it's really challenging to steal anything."_

_"That's because you're clumsy. You never listened when I told you what to do."_

_"That's because I wanted you as a brother and not a teacher," she countered. "Anyway, this whole Yevon thing? It's just ridiculous. Sorry, I know that you, uh, loved your teachings, but they dubbed _us _as traitors after _Seymour _killed his father! Tell me how that works."_

_Jaidan shrugged a little. "People with power tend to use it to their advantage. That's not the fault of the teachings."_

_She shook her head. "I disagree. Not allowing the use of machina is crazy, too."_

_"Huh, I see someone's really formed her own very Al Bhed identity," remarked Jaidan with a playful grin._

_"I learned a lot once I was on my own. Speaking of, I went to see you guys at the Farplane, but only you were there. Why?"_

_Jaidan appeared a little nervous at this. "I became an Unsent after that thing killed me. I couldn't come to grips with leaving you and Ai like that, so I held onto Spira and tried to find you guys. I realize now that it was also because I was angry I died so young. While I was still in the forest, I came across a traveling summoner and attacked him and his guardians. They defeated me, and I was sent."_

_"But... you never found Ai?"_

_"She wasn't there," he replied._

_Ashlin chewed on her lip. "That's weird." _

_"Ashlin!" She looked over her shoulder and almost expected to see Aimee appear. Then, the water lifted out of the pond abruptly and flew at her. The forest was suddenly too freezing, and she shivered violently. "Ash!" _

_She looked back at Jaidan and saw him smiling sadly. "I see you have my sword." The smile changed to one of sadness to one of madness. "Let me help you with that!" He abruptly reached forward and tugged it out of its scabbard. More water hit her as he brought the blade on her._

Ashlin awoke atop of a small ruined building. Rikku was cupping her hands over her but, as she noticed Ashlin's eyes were opened, she immediately opened them over the water. "Finally!" Her body was covered in cold water. That explained part of the dream.

"Where are we?" She sat up quickly, head pounding, and found that her leg still hurt worse than anything. Her eyes swept the somewhat foggy area and paused on a tall building looming in the distance. "Are we... under the lake?"

"Yep yep," answered Rikku. "You okay?"

Ashlin pulled her leg to her and bent it so that she could look at the calf. Her leggings were slightly torn and blood covered them and what skin she could see. There also appeared to be something lodged in there; her stomach turned. She looked up at Rikku for a change. "I'm going to ask you to do something really disgusting."

Rikku pursed her lips as her heart sank a little. "What?"

Ashlin positioned her calf so that the younger girl could see it. "You see that? There's a bullet lodged in there-"

"-A bullet?" echoed Rikku. "How?"

"Oh." Ashlin bit her lip. "I got into a fight with that Al Bhed guy we met at the Moonflow. He was threatening Yuna, so I fought him so she could get away. Now that I look back on it, I should have let him shoot Tromell... But, anyway, he shot me as I was walking away."

Rikku hissed a breath through her lips. "And you're asking me to take it out? Why not Auron? He seems like the type of person who would be perfect for it!"

Ashlin's responding smile felt completely out of place. "Because you're the only one with a claw and can, you know..."

"Grossies," complained Rikku.

"Come on. It _really, really _hurts!"

Rikku groaned. "Fine! You owe me one, though! Actually, you owe me two!"

"What else do I owe you for?"

"Trying to kill me back at the temple!"

Ashlin protested, "But it wasn't my- Alright, alright. Fine. Just get it out!" For this reason, she was glad that they seemed to be alone. She concentrated on her dream while Rikku did her deed, but she could only ignore the pain for so long. "Vilg, that vilgehk hurts!" **(A/n: If 'vilg' means the f-bomb, vilgehk is the same with -ing added on.) **

Wakka and Auron joined them promptly. The blitz player looked at Rikku with confusion and disgust. "What in the name of Yu Yevon are you doing?"

"I had to help her get out the bullet, which meant cutting her open a little more," mumbled Rikku as she held up a small bullet. "But I got it!"

Auron threw her a roll of bandages. "Wrap it so it doesn't get infected."

"Sir Auron, that's craziness!" protested Wakka as he pointed at Rikku's bloodied claw and Ashlin somewhat severely cut calf.

"In times of desperation, you do what must be done," he replied simply. "We leave soon. Hurry up and join the others." Then, he left.

Rikku paused in her rolling of the bandage and stuck her tongue out at Wakka. "See? You don't have to be such a meanie about it!"

Wakka rubbed the back of his head. "I just don' understand you two..." He left too.

Rikku pulled the bandage nice and tight before cutting and tying it. "There! Good as new!"

"It hurts like hell," complained Ashlin.

"Beats having a bullet lodged into your leg," declared Rikku. "Most Al Bhed guns use magical bullets, so they don't normally get lodged into a person. He must have been using something else."

Ashlin grumbled, "If I ever see him again, I'll use it on him and see how _he _likes it."

**xxx**

When they joined the others, everyone was in one area. Yuna was still unconscious atop of a large metal wall, and Tidus was at the front of the group standing near her. Rikku moved to Lulu in an instant. "Is she okay?" She was anxious and understandably so.

Lulu smiled faintly and nodded. "Her breathing is regular, but I'm sure she's worn out from everything."

Ashlin moved away after hearing this and stood against the jagged wall opposite of the others. She put her hand on her forehead, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply. Everything from before was rushing back at her - what had happened with Seymour, Aimee and Jaidan's deaths, what ran through her blood - and it was not something she had counted on as part of the pilgrimage. Even if she wanted to run from it all again, she realized she couldn't. She liked everyone that she was traveling with - even Wakka. "You have not been completely truthful about your past." She opened her eyes and found Auron towering over her.

Her hand dropped to her hip where it fiddled with the feathers tied around her belt loop. "That's not true. I just didn't say anything."

"Omission is a form of deception."

"How is it? I didn't imagine that it would ever matter. Though, maybe I should have known back in Luca when I saw Seymour staring at Yuna like she was a piece of meat and he was a starved wolf..."

Auron adjusted his sunglasses with his index and middle fingers. She felt like he was judging her, and he probably was. "I just wanted to put that behind me," she explained. "I've wanted to put a lot behind me."

"The Al Bhed who attacked you, is he part of your past as well?" asked Auron.

"No," she mumbled. "I don't know him, I promise."

He nodded. "Anything else you feel you should mention?"

"No." After a moment, she added, "I don't want you to be upset with me. It's because of you that I found my chance to stop running. Please."

"I am not upset," he replied. She believed that. How could Auron possibly get upset? "Simply concerned."

Ashlin nodded. "Well, I promise that no more nasty secrets will come out. I promise." Auron nodded in return and, for a moment, looked like he wanted to say something. Then, Rikku cried, "Yuna!" and they rejoined the others.

Yuna slowly sat up and held her head. She looked up at them with a nervous smile. "I... I owe you all an apology and an explanation." Tidus and Rikku sat on either side of her. "After I sent Lord Jyscal, I noticed that he had dropped a sphere. I used seeing Seymour as an excuse to take a look at the sphere on my own. I was shocked by what I saw, Jyscal explaining that his son had killed him, and it changed my mind about marrying him-"

"But how could marrying him help?" demanded Rikku.

"Let her finish," commanded Tidus. Rikku slumped a little.

Yuna shook her head. "No, she's right. I thought that..." She trailed off and drooped her head. "I'm not sure."

"Yes, you are," argued Ashlin as moved closer to the summoner. "Yuna told me that she hoped marrying him would help in convincing him to turn himself in. I didn't understand it at first, either, but Seymour, he was... Obsessed with that kind of thing. Power and recognition. Marrying the High Summoner's daughter - and likely the next High Summoner herself - would get him great recognition." She soon realized that everyone was staring at her.

Wakka blinked. "You _knew_?"

Ashlin winced. _'Here it comes...' _"Yuna didn't _want _to tell me. I made her tell me because she was acting weird. She's a horrendous liar - take that in stride, Yuna, it's a good thing. I promised not to say anything because I thought it was a good idea, and I knew you'd try to change it if you knew the reasons," she lied.

Lulu turned toward her, and Ashlin was instantly mortified. The black mage had graciously dealt with her antics and her poor guardianship, but there was a lovely chance that her endless amount of tolerance had just ended. "Ashlin-"

"No," replied Yuna quietly but firmly. Everyone looked at her with confused faces. She shook her head. "I made Ashlin swear that she wouldn't tell any of you for the same reason that she mentioned. You can't be angry with her for something I forced her to do."

Ashlin smiled a little. "It's not like you tied my hands behind my back."

Yuna nodded. "I knew I didn't have to." After that, the group dispersed, with Yuna explaining some more to the others. Ashlin wandered off again and found purple-painted nails slightly pressing into her arm. Lulu gestured for her to follow her closer to the temple and farther from the group.

"Lulu-" began Ashlin, but the woman held up her hand and shook her head.

Then, she put her hand to her chest. "Let me talk." Ashlin fell quiet. "I... understand that you were honoring Yuna's request not to tell us about Lord Jyscal and Seymour. However, I think you made the choice to treat Yuna as a friend and not as a guardian. A guardian should have talked her out of it, or told the rest of the guardians. Our job is to guard Yuna, and you knew that what she was planning had a potential to put her in danger.

"Yuna is like a sister to me," she admitted. "But I have to forget about that as a guardian. Understand?" Her tone wasn't harsh, nor were her eyes, but Ashlin felt deeply abashed.

She nodded. "I do, but, to be honest, if I had the chance to repeat things... I would do the same. I had it under control. I went with her."

"But what did it do?" replied Lulu. "We killed a maester; we are _traitors_ to Yevonites everywhere."

"I know, but I highly doubt things would have been different if Yuna had kept that bottled up inside," argued Ashlin. "Except, maybe, something might have happened to her while she was alone with Seymour. I know better than to trust Seymour. Everyone in this group is smart. How could no one else not question him?"

Lulu hated to admit it, but she did. "Because he is a maester," she replied in a low voice.

"Well, not all that glitters is gold," mumbled Ashlin. After an awkward silence, she asked, "Am I in trouble?"

Lulu sighed. "I want to be angry with you, and perhaps I am a little upset. Even if you are not amongst the strongest of the group, you are completely dedicated to Yuna and protecting her and her... heart."

Ashlin tilted her head at a slight angle. "What do you mean her 'heart'?"

"I'm more than aware of your attempts to get Yuna and Tidus together." Her tone did change, then. It became disapproving.

"What's wrong with that?"

Lulu's tone reverted back to its usualness, but as it dropped in volume, Ashlin became aware that she was about to be told something of intimate nature. "You have heard Tidus' claims that he is from Zanarkand?"

"Yes, and I believe him."

"As do I," agreed Lulu. "I noticed his expression at the manor when Seymour showed us the sphere. It was as if he had returned home."

Ashlin shook her head. "That's not possible. That was the Zanarkand from a thousand years ago."

"I know." Ashlin felt the hair on her arms and the back of her head rise.

"So you don't think they can be together?"

Lulu brought her eyes down to the water. It was the closest Ashlin had ever been to seeing Lulu acting even remotely weak. "I would like Yuna to be happy, but I don't want either of their hearts to be broken at the end of the pilgrimage."

Ashlin was beginning to realize that she was taking on way too many secrets. "Because Tidus doesn't know what's going to happen to Y-" She found that she couldn't say the summoner's name. "Because he doesn't know. Is that... right, though? He'll find out eventually, and he'll be heart broken."

"You're playing the friend card again," she observed. "Everyone knows the truth but him. No one has said that he cannot be told. It's an... unspoken rule."

Their dark conversation promptly ended as a beautiful sound filled the area. It sounded like a beautiful alto singing a song with no words; it was almost haunting in its sound. "What is that?"

"The hymn of the fayth," answered Lulu with a faint smile as they began to walk back to the others. "It is said to soothe the heart of the faithful."

"If it's coming form the temple, then... Does that mean we're still considered good?" Lulu simply laughed, a beautiful sound indeed.

Rikku ran up to them. "Yunie still wants to go on with the pilgrimage!" She sounded far from excited. "And Auron, in all his big meanie-ness, said that we'll even defy Yevon if we have to!"

"Sir Auron said that?" asked a taken aback Lulu. Rikku nodded.

Ashlin smiled. "Why's he a 'big meanie'?"

"He's a zang!" **(A/n: "Jerk.") **As she said this, there was a faint blush upon her cheeks.

"Mmhm," agreed Ashlin as she locked her arms behind her back. "So, we're climbing out of here?" The question was posed to no one in particular, and no one answered. The hymn had stopped, and the ground began to quake. Rikku looked around fearfully.

"What's going on?"

Wakka was alternating lifting his feet up. "There's somethin' under there, ya?"

"Sin," remarked Tidus. He did not say it with shock or fear but stated it as if it were a fact of life. For him, it was. Auron glanced at him, briefly, in a calculating way.

The ground trembled and quite literally broke apart as Sin, in all of its (or his, Ashlin supposed) gigantic, terrifying glory, made its presence known. "Watch for Sin's toxin!" warned Lulu. Her voice sounded distant, and Ashlin suddenly felt quite tired...

_Jecht lifted Aimee up and down while six-year-old Ashlin remained content on the ground throwing a blitz ball at Auron repeatedly. Auron stood calmly, though his facial expression was annoyed. "Geez, Auron, I'm surprised you don't scare kids away with a face like that!" remarked Jecht with a chuckle._

_"If only it did," he mumbled as Ashlin came up beside him and tugged on his jar. "For the love of Yevon..."_

_Jaidan appeared nervous as he watched Braska sitting atop a boulder in the field of the Calm Lands and the other men interact with the girls. "I'm really sorry, Sir Auron," he apologized. "She's very easily entertained, that one. You don't really have to stay. I understand."_

_"No." Braska briefly settled his hand atop Jaidan's shoulder. "We needed a rest before climbing Mt. Gagazet."_

_Auron suddenly smirked as he looked at Jecht. "Someone's going to have a nasty surprise when we climb the mountain."_

_Jecht paused in mid-lift, and Aimee complained immediately. "Huh? Whattaya mean?"_

_"You don't have any shoes, let alone any socks," replied Auron._

_Jecht waved him off. "I'll be fine."_

_"We'll see," mumbled Auron under his breath as Ashlin detached herself from him and ran to Jecht. She tugged on his orange cloth and looked up at him with big eyes._

_"Jecht-"_

_"Sir Jecht," corrected Jaidan._

_Jecht shrugged. "Doesn't make a difference to me, kid." Then, he set down Aimee, and they both looked up at him with big eyes. "What's up?"_

_"Will you tell us some more about Zanarkand? Please?" _

_Jecht found it hard to resist the charm of their oversized, childish eyes. "This kinda thing makes me happy I have a boy..." But he agreed nonetheless, punching his fist into his open palm. "Alright! Well, there's blitzball there, 'course. And every night, I get into the dome and the whole crowd screams my name. Then, after the Abes win, we all go out and hang out."_

_"Don't you sleep?" wondered Aimee._

_"Nah! Zanarkand never sleeps!"_

**xxx**

The harsh sun was as unforgiving as it always was in the afternoon on Bikanel Island. Gippal pulled on the collar of his shirt a little as he looked around. "Tysh. Naycuhc fro E teth'd secc Bikanel..." He looked up in surprise as Auron climbed over a sand dune and approached him. "Well, look who it is."

Auron smirked and moved his sunglasses up a little. "Hn."

"Just got a transmission. Apparently the Guado are here conducting a manhunt for the summoner Yuna. Their orders are to snatch 'er and kill her guardians. You might wanna lay low for a bit." asked Gippal with an amused smirk.

Auron raised an eyebrow. "Advice?"

"Sorta," agreed Gippal as he rubbed the back of his head. "Just don't want you to stir 'em up. The temples are after me, too, you know."

"Is that so?" replied Auron. "Then I apologize in advance."

Gippal groaned. "You just have to cause trouble... Fighting against the temples? Isn't that a little against code for you?" He paused. "Well... You're not wrong, I guess. I've been itching to get back at 'em, too. But they'd consider me a jackass for even suggesting it."

Auron chuckled quietly. "Only a jackass can change the world."

"True enough." Gippal paused for a moment. "I hear you have two Al Bhed with you..." Auron said nothing. "So, uh. They okay?"

He didn't question the Al Bhed, instead replying with, "We were separated."

Gippal nodded. "I... see."

"You don't have to worry about them." He moved in the direction opposite of Gippal, toward one of the oasises.

Gippal's radio buzzed. "What was that about?"

"An old- Doesn't matter. I'm going to deal with Yevon once and for all. Wanna help?"

The person on the other end chuckled. "Fro hud?" Static erupted through the transmission.

"Alright, I'll meet you halfway." Gippal began to walk forward and had climbed over a dune when he noticed a figure lying in the middle of the sand. After a moment's debate on whether or not he cared, he ran over to the person and was somewhat surprised. Only somewhat. Ashlin was unconscious with one hand lying over chest and the other above her head on the ground. He held her up somewhat and shook her. "Yo, Ash-guardian!"

She awoke easily enough though jumped at the sight of him. "You again?" she groaned.

Gippal grinned. "I see you're happy to see me."

"A real sight for sore eyes," she groaned as she lifted her head a little. "Damn it. Where the hell are we?"

"Nice mouth. Real ladylike of you." Gippal stood up, thus moving her into a standing position at the same time. "This, my misplaced Al Bhed friend, is Bikanel Island."

Ashlin stared at him. "Bikanel Island?"

"The one and only home of... Home."

It took her a moment to put two and two together. "Whoa, wait, what? This is where all of the Al Bhed live?" She had felt like she had spent a good portion of her life wondering where it was that all of the Al Bhed lived. Where her mother had gone. Now, here she was, and all she felt was confused and anxious.

"You betcha." Gippal wondered if he should have turned tail when he first noticed Ashlin and shouted after Auron: "Hey! Found one of your guardians!" Too late now. He was probably long gone. "I saw one of your fellows," he observed.

Ashlin looked around suddenly as if she had forgotten she had been with anyone. "Oh! Where is everyone?"

"Apparently separated," he answered. "The Guado are here looking for you guys and your summoner. I was thinking of picking a fight with them."

"Damn, they're really fast," mumbled Ashlin, wondering how the Guado had gotten from Macalania to an island. "I should go find the others, then."

Gippal relaxed his arms behind his head. "Nah. When I talked to him, he said that you guys were going to pick a fight with them. Besides, if I know my race well enough, then Yuna's probably already at Home."

"You'll take me there?" Ashlin knew she didn't really have to ask; Gippal had pretty much inferred that they were sticking together.

"Since I bet that's where they are, why not? I'll help you out. For something in return..." He winked at her.

Ashlin gagged and elbowed him. "Are you going to help me or not?"

Gippal chuckled. "You can't throw the dog a bone? Really? Whatever, I'll still help you."

"How kind of you," she mumbled.

His radio began to crackle and sounds of screams and shouts echoed in the background. "Gippal! Asankahlo! Dra Guado yna yddylgehk Home!"

The laidbackness on Gippal's face faded immediately and anxiety replaced it. "Alright, guess we can't delay. Let's go!" He started to run and Ashlin was forced to follow behind him and ignore the sweltering heat.

**xxx**

If Yuna was being honest with herself, then she would admit that she was frightened. She had awoken in the middle of a desert with no one else around her. In the distance, she saw a gargantuan, wormlike fiend dive beneath the sand. Yuna inhaled deeply and clutched her rod a little more tightly. At the very least, she reminded herself, she had her aeons.

For a while, she wandered through the desert, not knowing where she was going or what she was doing. She eventually crossed over a dune and found herself in a small area surrounded by dunes. Yuna tried not to be disheartened and decided to keep moving forward. As she reached the center of the area, sand was cast in the air all around her as somewhere between seven to twelve Guado slid down the dunes and surrounded her. "I don't want to hurt you!" she warned.

Tromell, guided by a female Guado, also slid down a dune and stood before her. "Nor do we wish to harm you, Lady Yuna. If you remain in this decrepit place, you will surely die. Come with us. We will take you to Bevelle."

Yuna backed up a few paces. "No. I will not face the other maesters without my guardians, and I won't go anywhere with you."

"That is a shame," lamented Tromell. "I am afraid that your guardians have already been eliminated."

She shook her head and took a few more steps back. "That's not possible."

"Is it not?" Tromell dug into his pocket and pulled out a sphere. "Do you want proof?" Yuna brought her eyes up to his; they were fierce with determination.

She lifted her rod and began to dance as another person joined him. This one was easily recognizable. Yuna stopped twirling her rod. "Come now, Lady Yuna. Don't be foolish. We both know that you cannot hope to defeat Anima."

"S-Seymour?"

"Ah, so we have dropped the honorific, mm? That is alright," decided Seymour. "Now, stop your valiance. You will find it does you no good." He glanced at Tromell somewhat and nodded.

Tromell also nodded and pointed at Yuna. "Now!" All at the same time, Yuna was struck by thunder spells. Her rod dropped out of her hands as she fell to the sand, and everything went dark.

* * *

**Tysh. Naycuhc fro E teth'd secc Bikanel... **- Damn. Reasons why I didn't miss Bikanel.

**Fro hud? **- Why not?

**"Gippal! Asankahlo! Dra Guado yna yddylgehk Home!" **- Gippal! Emergency! The Guado are attacking Home!


	13. Not Running From You

**Chapter Twelve**:  
Not Running From You

**Note: Another really important Ashlin chapter - I know, there's a lot of those, but she is sort of the main character, so... xD' The song, if you'd like to youtube it is good for this chapter. :) Enjoy!**

_'I tried to be someone else,  
But nothing seemed to change.  
I know now this is who I really am inside,  
Finally found myself, fighting for a chance  
I know now this is who I really am!'  
_**-"The Kill" by 30 Seconds to Mars**

* * *

"Hey!" Rikku was standing at the top of a sand dune looming in the distance, waving her arms eagerly at the group as they approached. Almost everyone was accounted for but... "Where's Yunie?" she asked.

"Not among us," answered Auron.

Rikku became a little crestfallen. "Oh." Her attitude picked back up almost immediately as she raised her index finger. "Wait! I think I know where she might be."

"Where?" demanded Tidus.

Rikku became somewhat nervous. "Okay, I think she's at Home, which is where all of the Al Bhed live..."

Wakka stared at her. "You know where we are, ya?" His voice sounded too accusing.

She nodded her head slowly. "I do, but... You guys have to keep it a secret, okay? It's really important that you do. If anyone knew, they'd find Home and destroy it..."

"Who'd want to do that?" asked Wakka. Everyone in the group stared at him. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh. Yeah."

"We're on Bikanel Island, which is where almost all Al Bhed live in a huge place called Home. I bet that some Al Bhed found her in the desert and took here there."

Tidus raised his eyebrows. "You mean kidnapped?"

"No," argued Rikku. Then, recalling that Tidus did not know of Yuna's fate, she finished with, "Just follow me, and I'll bring you guys there. Stay close! There's lots of fiends here!"

Wakka muttered, "Lotsa machina, too." He rubbed a spot on his arm where a machina had shocked him.

"I can take care of those. I know how they're put together, so I can take 'em apart easy-peesy," remarked Rikku.

After a few steps or so, Lulu noted, "Ashlin's not with us." The others, who obviously had not realized this, stopped.

"Oh." Tidus rubbed the back of his head. "Damn."

Rikku put her index finger to her cheek. "I bet she's at Home, too, because she's Al Bhed and they'll have thought-" She broke her sentence off. Many of the Al Bhed knew who Ashlin was and did not like that she was traveling with a summoner. They would have left her in the desert, and she didn't know how to get anywhere. "...Oh."

"We have to find Yuna," Lulu was forced to remind them. "I am sure that Ashlin will find a way to meet up with us; she's smart." If Tidus wasn't so worried about Yuna, he might have laughed. The one time Lulu complimented Ashlin, she was nowhere to be found.

Though Rikku didn't like it, she was more focused on finding her cousin, too. "Right! Okay, let's go!"

**xxx**

Ashlin lagged far behind Gippal, exhausted and hot despite the fact that she was wearing less than he was. "We're almost there!" He called over his shoulder before slowing down. "Damn, you're slow!"

"Be nice! The warmest place I've ever been is Luca!" She slowed down even more to catch her breath. "Besides, I just went from a freezing cold lake to a burning hot desert; that can't be healthy."

"You're an Al Bhed traveling with a summoner who's currently being hunt down by Guado. That's not healthy, either," pointed out Gippal. It was true enough. Ashlin stood back up and ran to join him.

She blinked. "Wait. The Guado are here?"

"Yeah, with strict orders to find your summoner and kill all of her guardians," he remarked. "Nice group of outlaws you run along with."

"Shut up," she groaned. "Well, that changes everything. What are you waiting for? Let's go!" She ran a little faster, leaving Gippal to watch her for a few moments before following.

They reached a particular high sand dune, and Gippal knew that Home would be looming down below. Ashlin, however, moved off to the side and bent down before something. He looked back at her and asked, "What're you doing now? We've gotta hurry." She appeared not to have heard him as she stared at two hastily-made gravestones. Though she had always known her mother was gone, though Rikku had confirmed it, she had never quite connected her mother's disappearance with her death until that moment. Krishna's name was carved into the stone, as was Jaidan's mother's into hers.

The sounds of explosions and screams echoed from below the dune Gippal was currently standing atop, and Ashlin immediately thought of Yuna and the others. She could waste her time mourning two people she had already known were dead, or she could move on and help her friends and, really, her people. Ashlin stood back up, dusted off the sand, and joined Gippal. They looked down at a gargantuan metal building with fiends and Guado fighting Al Bhed. Bodies littered the ground like dandelions in a meadow. "Wow."

Gippal glanced at her. "You ready for this?" He shoulder his revolver.

She found the best answer would be, "It's now or never." They slid down the tall dune and right into the yard of Home. Immediately, Guado turned their attention to them and began to attack. "Splitting up might be a good idea..."

"You'll probably find your summoner inside all the way on the bottom floor, in the Summoners' Sanctum. You think you can make it on your own?"

Ashlin grinned. "What, you worried?"

"You're sorta hopeless," he remarked with a grin, "So maybe."

"I'll show you," she replied. "See you." Then, as Gippal fired a round at some Guado who seemed like they were going to follow her, Ashlin carefully treaded over the bodies and entered Home. She tried not to get too attached to the place she had always dreamed of seeing as the building shook, and she discovered more Al Bhed bodies. It was sad.

Not to mention there were _so _many different passages. She settled on going straight before getting hopelessly lost in a long corridor with numerous passages. Ashlin descended a staircase and moved straight. On either side of her, malfunctioning doors were opening and closing repeatedly. Some footsteps echoed behind her, and she saw some Guado running down the stairs, so she quickly ducked into a room. "E ys majamehk Home!" A voice suddenly cried over the intercom. "Ku ihtanknuiht!"  
"Leveling Home? Go underground?" echoed Ashlin. "Well, where in all the hells is underground?" Something growled behind her and, slowly, she turned around to face it. A sinister-looking Dual Horn bared its teeth at her and scraped at the ground with its long nails. "...Ooh. I think I'll just be going."  
As she moved toward the door, the Dual Horn suddenly charged, and she dove into another part of the room. It turned to face her with its fiery breath as it blocked the door. Ashlin nodded to herself once. "Well, of course. That would happen. Wanna mess, you overgrown dog? Let's go!"

Ashlin pointed Jaidan's sword at the Dual Horn and waited until it charged again. It surprised her by putting its paws on her shoulders, its nails digging into her skin, and biting for her throat. She recovered quickly and clumsily stabbed the sword into its back. With a growl, it jumped away from her and covered the door again. _'Concentrate, Ash. Concentrate. You can do this. Prove that you're still capable...' _She ran at it and jumped a couple feet into air with the sword raised. The sword sliced into its shoulder, just beside its head.

It stood dolefully before the door and did not make a move to attack. Ashlin took advantage of this by doing another jump attack, but she received a little surprise this time around. The Dual Horn planted its feet firmly on the ground as it looked up at her and breathed fire at her. She fell to the ground quite quickly with the fire singing her hair, as well as burning her skin and clothes. "O-ow." She supposed she should have expected as much from a fiend that exhaled fire instead of air.

Ashlin fished into her holster for the second time and pulled out Aimee's pistol. She aimed it at the Dual Horn's head and fired a couple rounds before it collapsed. It was by no means dead, but it was just injured enough for her to escape. The gun was returned to her holster as she ran across the room, climbed over the fiend, and entered the hall. As soon as she was in the hall, something flew through the air and knocked her upside the head really, really hard. The force sent her to the ground, but that did not last long.

Something seized her by the wrist and began to drag her down the hall. She looked up to find a second Dual Horn dragging her by its mouth. Ashlin pulled her wrist, feeling the teeth slice across her skin, and freed herself. Instead of fighting it, she ran down the hall and took a door at the end. Much to her relief, she found herself in a completely new area, a balcony of sorts overlooking a lower level with two doors.

She knew that the doors had to lead to the Summoners' Sanctum, so she ran down the stairs only to have her path barred. "Really?" she demanded of the Al Bhed who had blocked her. It was none other than Rupin, who looked down at her with one eyebrow raised. He pushed her away from the door, and she held her uninjured hand over her cut one. "Is that the Sanctum?" she demanded.

"It is," he agreed.

"Then, move!"

Rupin chuckled. "And let you do what?"

"Find my summoner!"

"You won't find her there."

Ashlin shook her head. "You're lying. Move." He crossed his arms and stared at her. She nodded to herself once. "Fine, then I'll make you move." She unsheathed the sword once more and took it into her bleeding hand.

Rupin raised his rifle and pointed it at her. "You are being foolish."

"You're being annoying," she responded. "Besides, I guess I should get back at you for shooting me when I was walking away. What kind of man shoots a person with their back turned?"

"You were retreating," he corrected.

She shook her head. "I was following my summoner, which is what I'd like to do now."

"Show me what power you think you have. Come at me!" Rupin spread his arms out and stood there, and his rifle dropped to the ground.

Ashlin raised Jaidan's sword and made to take a step, then stopped. She thought of what Jaidan had said to her when he had given her the sword. "'Use it well, use it right'." She dropped her arms to her sides and shook her head. "I... can't do it." Her eyes dropped to the dirty floor, which was shaking.

Rupin made a disgusted sound. "Vuumecr! Fayg! I am disappointed in you."

"You don't _know _me," she emphasized without looking up.

Then, he was standing before her. His hand seized her chin and tilted it up to make her look at him. "Of course I do! How could I not recognize my own daughter?" He spat the words like acid and grasped her chin a little tighter as she paled. "I use that term loosely, daughter. You are weak, you are nothing like your half-brothers. While they were fighting to get rid of Sin without giving up their identities, what were you doing? Following a group of Yevonites like a lovesick mutt!"

Ashlin ripped her chin from his grasp. "I'm fighting to get rid of Sin, too! Maybe not in the way you like, but I _am_!"

He chuckled bitterly. "Not for the right reasons. I knew, I knew you should have grown up with me here. Your foolish mother and her foolish mistakes. She ran from here because she'd rather be kissing the feet of Yevonite bastards, and she raised you to be the same!"

"She ran from you because you abused the crap out of her," growled Ashlin, her heart beating too fast. Her words would have sounded more intense if her voice was not shaking. "Which is also why you shot at me with my back turned. You're a coward!"

"I'm your father!"

Ashlin shook her head. "A blood relation doesn't mean a thing. Aimee and Jaidan, they were my real family, as was their mother and my own. You? You're nothing. So, tell me, why have you been so bent on abusing me, too? Because you didn't get the chance to when I was younger?"

"Your mother came back for me," he remarked with a grin. "She came back to fix things between us. What did she do with you? She left you behind in a forest with two children. She did not want you, did not love you. In the end, she left you for _me_."

"She only came to see you, I'm sure, because she was at the end of her rope. Because we were all living in a forest. It was silly of her, but I guess she actually expected that you cared enough to help us."

Rupin shook his head, the smile slowly slipping off his face. His expression was intense. "I told her I would not help her so long as she was kissing the feet of Yevonites. I told her to get her graceless ass out of the Home of the Al Bhed because it was so painstakingly obvious that it was not where she belonged or wanted to be. Now it's the same with you, and your Yevonite friends have destroyed it! They have destroyed your people and, still, you kiss their feet! Explain it to me, Ashlin! Explain it to me!"

At that moment, one of the doors, the one farther from them, opened and Dona, Isaaru, and Tidus and the others exited. Dona and Isaaru bypassed them and went up the stairs while the others ran up to them. Ashlin glanced at them, briefly, as did Rupin. "Ashlin problem," she said, mostly, to Kimahri, who nodded.

Rikku wiped at her eyes, which were puffy and red, and protested, "But-"

"She is right," agreed Auron. "However, if you're not on the ship in five minutes-"

"-We're coming back for you, ya?" finished Wakka with a grin. Ashlin was confused at his sudden change of character, but she nodded, and they left her. She felt terrified - particularly upon noticing Yuna was not with them. Obviously, they believed in her enough to let her take care of her problem.

Ashlin looked her father in the eye. "I am not traveling as a guardian because of I believe in the teachings of Yevon. In fact, I hate the teachings. I am traveling because these are my friends, and strangers that did not even know me when I was a child were more willing to take care of me than you were."

"It is because you're brainwashed," concluded Rupin. "But I will take care of that quickly." The rifle was pointed at her again.

She shook her head and flung her arms out wide. "Shoot me. I would say it would be merciful and putting me out of my misery, but I'd be lying now. I'm not miserable anymore. Maybe troubled by what's up ahead, but not miserable. I've found people that care about me, but..." Ashlin tilted her head to the side a little. "What do you know about caring about others?"

A gunshot echoed in the silence, and Ashlin could not help but feel deeply surprised as it hit her in the chest and knocked her to the ground. Rupin walked over to her and placed his boot over the wound; it sent even more pain coursing through her body. "That is the difference between you and I. I am not ashamed or afraid to take care of my enemies." Then, he took the pressure off, went up the stairs, and disappeared into the airship.

"Enemies?" she breathed. He would call his daughter, who he barely knew, his enemy? Ashlin forced herself to stand despite the pain. She could lay on the ground forever and die with feelings of sadness, betrayal, and regret or she could join her friends. After settling on the latter, she also ran up the stairs and into the airship.

**xxx**

Yuna awoke in a lovely bed with a velvet-colored canopy. She sat up slowly and realized that it was a large bedroom with a red and gold carpet, a vanity with a red-cushioned seat before a three-way crystalline mirror, and a grandesque gold chandelier. "Where am I?" she asked aloud as she climbed out of the bed and hesitantly looked around.

Her head ached quite a bit, and she had trouble recalling what had happened before falling asleep. But, she had not fallen asleep, had she? The images of several Guado striking her down with a thunder spell appeared in her mind. Then, Seymour had walked toward her, threatening to summon Anima... "Oh!" The pain in her body proved that it could not have been a dream and, in that instant, she had found a beautiful wedding dress in a clear bag hanging from a door. _'I have to get out of here... But how?' _

As she considered her escape, another door opened and in walked Tromell. She looked around for her rod but could not find it. "Where am I?" she demanded of him.

"Ah, awake I see," he replied with a smile, completely disregarding her question. "That is good. How do you feel?"

Yuna scowled. "Like many Guado just attacked him with black magic."

Tromell nodded. "Then, you are still weak? This is also good. My Lady, welcome back to Bevelle. You are here for your wedding to Lord Seymour."

The scowl disappeared from her expression as she narrowed her eyes. "What?" She shook her head. "I'm not marrying him. He is..."

"Unsent? Oh, yes," agreed Tromell with an approving nod. "It is quite a glorious thing, really, living on beyond death. This way, Bevelle may never fall into the hands of the unprepared, careless youth."

"Dodging death is not normal. He must be Sent!" protested Yuna.

Tromell continued to smile at her. "Do not make this any harder, Lady Yuna. I will send in a few of my assistants and they will help you get ready."

"I am not marrying Seymour!" she repeated a little more forcefully as he started for the door.

When he reached the doorway, he looked back at her over his shoulder. His smile was somewhat more sinister now. "Whoever told you that you have a choice?" Then, he was gone and, defeated, Yuna fell to the floor.

**xxx**

Ashlin was thankful that her leg hurt quite a bit less as her chest was taking just about everything out of here. She entered the bridge of the airship just in time to see Tidus and a balding man finishing up an argument. She crept over to Lulu and asked, "What was that about?"

The mage looked at her in surprise. "You're bleeding," she noticed as she examined Ashlin.

The Al Bhed nodded. "Yeah, I'm kind of a little bit messed up everywhere." Lulu dug through her pockets in search of a potion of some sort but knew that they had used up most of their healing supplies while fighting the Guado and fiends in Home and the desert.

Kimahri joined them. "Kimahri help." He held out a hand to Ashlin's chest and a healing, white light entered the wound. It healed up just enough for it not to hurt when she breathed. "Kimahri sorry. Not as good as Yuna."

Ashlin shook her head. "No, no, thanks, Kimahri!" The others joined them. "Where's Yuna?"

Rikku looked down at the floor. "The Guado must've gotten her before we had the chance to..." Before she could finish her sentence, the airship shook and rumbled.

"Yeehaw! Here we go, kiddos!" cheered the bald man. How he could be so happy at a time like this, Ashlin wasn't sure. He looked at a male with a mohawk who had to have been in his late-teens or so. "Nayto? Vena!"

Though looking crestfallen, the mohawk man nodded. "Ev oui ehcecd..." Then, he pressed a button and, suddenly, a side of the airship opened up to fire a barrage of missiles at Home. Ashlin had mixed feelings about watching it collapse into the sand, the Home she had always wished for.

She shook her head and remarked, "Cyt." Beside her, she noticed Rikku's eyes tearing up and put her good hand around her shoulders. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry!" The bald man remarked as he came up behind them and put a hand on Rikku's shoulder. "Machina can always be rebuilt. We'll just have to rebuild someday."

Rikku's lower lip trembled. "But we finally got everyone together in one place..."

"We will always be united. Just because we aren't together doesn't mean we're not united," he told her.

Ashlin nodded a little. Wise words. "So, uh, who're you?" She asked him.

He looked down at her with surprise. "Wh-what? You're Al Bhed, and you don't know me? Weren't you living in Home?"

"Can't say I did," she answered.

Rikku wiped her eyes and turned to face her father, too. "Dad, this is Ashlin. Ash, this is-"

"Cid!" exclaimed Ashlin. "Of course." She was almost tempted to bow to him. "Sorry, I guess I should have known... Maybe. Rikku told me what you did for my mother ten years ago. Thank you."

Cid nodded. "Thought I recognized you. The Al Bhed have been buzzin' with you! After Rikku joined, they started buzzin' about her, too," he briefly looked down at his daughter, who smiled nervously. "You look like Krishna," he added to Ashlin.

Ashlin blinked. "Do I? Th-thank you." Cid left them, and Rikku's expression became crestfallen again.

Wakka approached them. "Don't be sad, ya? Boom! Like happy firework festival, ya?" Ashlin opened her mouth to say something, but Rikku was already frowning up at the blitz player.

"Cram your happy festival, big meanie!" Then, Rikku stormed off.

Wakka rubbed the back of his head. "What'd I say?"

"You just made it sound like you were celebrating the destruction of Home..." mumbled Ashlin.

"I didn't mean to!" By the panicked look on his face, Ashlin believed him.

"Wow. I'm so surprised. You're acting... normal again!"

Wakka's expression was sheepish. "Once I realized what was goin' on, I couldn' really hate the Al Bhed no more, ya? Sorry for what I've been saying."

Ashlin smiled and shook her head. "All is forgiven." Once again, she lost her grip on her emotions and rushed forward to hug him. For someone so muscular, he was surprisingly soft. Wakka awkwardly patted her on the back. She winced as she pulled away. "Cred."

"What?" asked Tidus. Ashlin, admittedly, sort of loved that he already had his Al Bhed swears down.

"Rupin's on this ship somewhere..."

Wakka looked at her. "Who?" Rikku was standing on the outside of the group, and Ashlin decided to tell them everything she knew about Rupin.

"Your father?" repeated Lulu.

Even Auron seemed surprised as Tidus demanded, "He shot you?"

"To prove a point, I guess," mumbled Ashlin.

Rikku drew closer to Ashlin, but not too close to Wakka. "What? That he's a super-big meanie? I say we hunt him down!"

"There'll be no hunting down anyone on my ship," chastised Cid as he also joined them. "Rupin, I was hoping he'd be left behind..."

Ashlin glanced at him. "You don't like him either?" The Al Bhed leader wishing you dead was serious business.

"He chased away Kris. She was great with machina an' took care of Rikku for me sometimes," confessed Cid.

Rikku blinked. "She did?"

Cid nodded. "Sure! She didn't leave until you were about three. You and her daughter - which I guess is you," he added to Ashlin, "used to play all the time."

"Then, she left and I was stuck with Brother. What a bad trade-off," complained Rikku. The group dispersed after that, Cid returning to the sphere he was using to locate Yuna, and Ashlin spotted Tidus exiting the bridge. She followed him.

Ashlin locked her arms behind her back and looked up at him. "Why the long face?"

Tidus stopped suddenly in the middle of the hall outside of the bridge. "How long did you know?"

"Know? Know what?" She knew perfectly well what he was talking about. Tidus glanced down at her seriously. Ashlin nodded and began to walk a little bit away from him. "That Yuna was going on a suicide mission or that all summoners go on suicide missions?" He did not respond. "Since before we met."

"So, all those times that we spoke one-on-one, and that night we watched the Moonflow and I said Yuna and I could come back after the pilgrimage... You knew already?" Ashlin bit her lip and nodded. "Why... Why didn't you tell me?"

Ashlin flinched a little at his shouting, which she guessed was going to be a habit after all of the screaming Rupin had done. "How could I tell you that the girl you loved was going to die? It was an unspoken secret, one I hated..." He turned away from her. "Hey! Don't act like I betrayed you, okay? I didn't!" Her voice dropped. "Have I told anyone about Sin? No."

"So, you keep secrets when it's convenient?"

She shook her head and stomped her foot. "No! It's because you're my friend. Remember that? You're being my friend?"

"She's going to _die_!"

"Do you think I like admitting that out loud? Who would?" Ashlin sighed. "When did you find out?"

"Summoners' Sanctum. Rikku broke down and told me."

Ashlin nodded. "Well, I'm sorry. I wish I could have told you, but it would have been too much."

"Yeah." Tidus rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry for yelling at you like that... You okay?"

She gestured at her chest. "What? This? At least a bullet didn't get lodged in there this time. I'll be fine," she promised. "What about you? You gonna be okay?"

"When we find Yuna... I'm going to try to talk her out of it."

Ashlin bit her lip. "I don't know that that's going to work."

"Well? What do you expect me to do? Stand by and watch?"

She smiled a little. "Of course not. I think I sort of admire you, Tidus. Go see if they've found Yuna yet." As Tidus entered the bridge, Auron exited it and approached her. "I thought you were such a good guardian, Auron. You lost Yuna!"

"As did you," he pointed out. "But no one claims that you are a good guardian..."

Ashlin stared at him for a moment. "Hey! That's not nice!"

"You sound like Rikku," he remarked.

"Hm. You could have said I sounded like Tidus, 'cause I've heard him say similar things to you. Yet you picked Rikku. Why is that?"

"Hn."

Ashlin lowered herself to the ground and sat on the vent. "I don't know how I feel about this."

"About what?"

"Flying on a ship where someone wants to kill me. I don't think I've known anyone who wanted to kill me before."

Auron raised an eyebrow. "Seymour?"

"Maybe Seymour," she conceded. "My own father... I couldn't hurt him when he flung his arms out and dropped his gun to the ground, you know. I just... couldn't do it. Then, I did the same thing and he..." Her eyebrows drew together. "Shot me." Ashlin suddenly realized that her eyes were burning and the floor was becoming blurry.

"He's not much of a father. Don't worry." Auron looked at her briefly but was no longer when Ashlin gazed at him. It was, she realized, the closest he would come to being kind, and she sort of enjoyed it.

* * *

**Vuumecr! Fayg! **- Foolish! Weak!

**Nayto? Vena! **- Ready? Fire!

**Ev oui ehced **- If you insist

**Cyt** - Sad.

**Cred **- Shit


	14. I Think We Have An Emergency

**Chapter Thirteen:  
**I Think We Have an Emergency

**Note: **I am beyond sorry for the long time it's taken to update. I've been really, really sick and busy with school, but everything's fine now. Exciting chapter ahead!

**Disclaimer - This is really unnecessary. I don't own FFX!**

_'I'm fine, I'm fine,  
_

_These words are all I've got to hide behind,  
_

_So get behind me.'  
_**-"A-OK" by Motion City Soundtrack**

* * *

Ashlin took a walk shortly after that. She said it was to clear her mind when, in fact, it was to see if Gippal was among the escapees. She moved from compartment to compartment; the airship had a surprising amount of twists and turns. Eventually, she reached a compartment that branched off the main hallway and found Dona standing inside. "Well, if it isn't one of Yuna's circus members."

"I have a name," pointed out Ashlin.

Dona smirked. "I believe you." After a moment, she said, "I think... that I will give up my pilgrimage."

"Really? I thought you were so determined to beat Yuna..."

"I was, but it's not worth it. After what happened in the Al Bhed Home, I have no reason to help those types of people."

Ashlin nodded. "You sent those Al Bhed that died protecting you, right? That was very kind of you."

"It was right," replied Dona, surprising Ashlin. She had thought that Dona was some egotistical bitch, but, apparently, there was a tiny bit more to her than that.

"If you quit, who will defeat Sin?"

At this, Dona chuckled quietly. "Yuna, naturally. I suppose that she wins this round; I'd rather move somewhere quiet with Barthello anyway." Ashlin smiled.

**xxx**

Ashlin returned to the bridge feeling defeated. She had not found Gippal and expected that she would not. Hopefully, he had escaped into the desert. Rikku ran up to her immediately; the bridge was buzzing with activity. "We found Yunie!"

"Really? Where?"

"Bevelle," answered Lulu. "It appears that Seymour and Yuna are to be wed."

Ashlin raised her eyebrows. "Wh-what? But we killed Seymour."

"He is Unsent," remarked Auron as he also entered the bridge. "His attachment to this world kept him from the next."

Rikku turned toward him with a nervous expression. "So is Yunie trying to send him?"

"It is likely."

"And dangerous," added Lulu before turning toward Cid. "How long will it take to get there?" .

Cid answered, "A while yet. You kiddos better prepare for battle. Those guards look like they mean business."

The ship shook abruptly, and everyone looked around in alarm. Before they could recover, it lurched again. Outside, the sky was darkening and rain was beginning to pour down. Ashlin immediately thought of the wedding but sincerely doubted that, even with it pouring, Seymour would call it off.

Rin entered the bridge. "Some fiends seem to have jumped aboard, probably before we left Home."

"How can you be so calm?" demanded Cid.

"I am always calm," responded Rin. He inclined his head to Ashlin and Rikku in greeting.

Cid stroked his chin. "Well, I guess we're just gonna have to-"

"Blow up the ship?" finished Rikku before shaking her head. "No way, pops! Come on, you're looking at the best guardians ever to walk Spira! We can take care of 'em!" She pumped one fist into the air before gesturing at herself with her free hand. "Uh, right?" she added to the others.

Tidus also pumped his fist into the air. "Uv luinca!"

"My gosh," gasped Ashlin. "He _can _be taught!"

Rikku jumped onto her. "Hallelujah!"

"Stop screwin' around and take care of them fiends!" ordered Cid.

"Yeah, yeah," agreed Rikku with the roll of her eyes. "Let's go!" They exited the bridge and started out corridor after corridor, eventually meeting Isaaru.

Isaaru nodded to them. "Nice to see you all again. I have this section taken care of, and Dona has that compartment. Up ahead is all yours."

"Thanks," replied Ashlin.

"I... apologize for not believing you," he added to her.

She blinked, having just about forgotten the meeting with Isaaru at Djose. "Oh, yeah, that!" Ashlin rubbed the back of her head and smiled. "I've put it out of my mind."

"Good luck." Then, they continued into a rather large, open compartment, which Ashlin had not journeyed to before. They walked up a staircase that led to a level with windows on either side. The most Al Bhed she had seen so far seemed to all be gathered there. Except, there was no Rupin and, even worse, no...

"Gippal," mumbled Ashlin. Rikku looked like she was going to question her for a moment, then they all became distracted by something that was flying alongside the airship: it was a thin, red serpentine with pink-colored wings.

Tidus pressed his face against the glass. "What _is _that?"

"The mighty guardian of Bevelle, the great wyrm Evrae," answered Lulu. "It would seem that Seymour is prepared to stop us."

Auron chuckled. "The red carpet has teeth."

"I've never seen such a thing in my whole life," mumbled Ashlin. "Wow!"

Auron glanced back at Rikku, who was shifting her weight from leg to leg. "Still the best guardian to walk Spira?"

Rikku looked like she was not sure, so Tidus answered, "Yeah, of course! We can do it!"

"I don't think I want to," mumbled Ashlin.

"'Course you do," replied Tidus as he took one of Ashlin's arms and gestured for Rikku to take the other. Once Rikku had grabbed the right arm, the two of them began to drag Ashlin to the lift.

Wakka rubbed the back of his head. "They're... unfocused, ya?"

"Maybe not," replied Lulu; Wakka looked at her with surprise. "I can only speculate, but I imagine the way they act is because they're trying to push thoughts of the future out of their mind."

Auron inclined his head somewhat. "Worrying about things that can't be changed is futile." Wakka, Lulu and Auron hung back for a few moments to buy items from Rin but, Tidus, Rikku and Ashlin were already on the deck. The wind was ferocious, and the blue-green ribbon came loose from Ashlin's hair before the wind whipped it around violently.

"Ugh," mumbled Ashlin as she tied the ribbon around her arm and pushed her hair out of her face. Once her vision was clear, she was surprised to see Gippal standing farther down the bridge. She immediately broke away from Tidus and Rikku's grips (which was easy since they were distracted from searching for the serpentine dragon) and ran over to Gippal. He turned toward her at the last possible second as she jumped at him, her legs hooking around his waist and her arms thrown around his neck.

Gippal nearly towered over. "That's quite the hello. Nice to see you, too, Ace."

"Ace?" she repeated. "Why Ace?"

"Now that there are two Al Bhed guardians, I didn't think the old nickname was so special," he remarked. "So, happy to see me?"

Ashlin released him. "I had no clue where you went."

"Same here. You just sort of disappeared into Home, and I couldn't find you."

"I got lost," she admitted.

He nodded. "Heh. I'm not surprised. I knew you'd be hopeless without me." She punched his arm lightly.

Rikku and Tidus joined them promptly. "Gippal! I haven't seen you in-"

"Cid's girl! Someone's all grown up," he commented. "And sold out her Al Bhed values."

Rikku groaned. "Oui'na cu yhhuoehk..."

Ashlin blinked. "You two know each other?"

"_You _two know each other?" echoed Rikku.

The airship made a sudden movement, and they all fell to their knees. It was so slippery that it was quite possible that they would fall. "Rikku! Do you hear me?" Cid's voice boomed over the intercom. "Something's wrong with the lift, so it looks like you four are gonna have to handle the wyrm until someone fixes it. We'll back you up, but we have to keep our distance. Tell me when you want to move in and out."

"Roger!" agreed Rikku as she moved to the edge of the airship and looked downward for Evrae. The serpentine suddenly flew from down under, making Rikku fall back onto her hands.

Ashlin and Gippal stood to the left of the fallen Al Bhed while Tidus stood on her other side. "I was worried about doing this when it was going to be all of us. Now we're only four people, and I'm terrified," admitted Ashlin.

"Gotta have faith, right?" asked Tidus with Brotherhood at his side while he looked up at the dragon. Lightning struck in the distance.

"Huh. Seems like a bad omen," remarked Gippal.

Rikku glanced up at the sky. "As long as it doesn't strike us..." She shuddered. Right! Ashlin had nearly forgotten Rikku's phobia.

_'This could be the worst thing to ever happen...' _

The dragon adjusted its head and exhaled suddenly. Something green and rotten-smelling exited Evrae's mouth and struck them all. A sick feeling filled them. Rikku managed to shout, "Vydran! Suja pylg!"

"Fyed!" replied Cid over the intercom.

"Things are looking up," mumbled Gippal as he raised his revolver and attempted to push the pain of the poison out of his mind. "Piece of cake!" He shot a few rounds at Evrae, who growled in pain as the magical bullets hit it.

Ashlin forced herself to stand and ran at the dragon. It was an odd feeling, leaping into the air and slightly off the edge of the bridge with the knowledge she could plunge thousands of feet below, but she tried to forget those facts as she sliced at Evrae and landed safely. When she landed, she felt ten times worse than she had before. The sick feeling concentrated in her stomach and her head became heavy. Holding up her body felt like a chore. A quick glance at the others showed her that no one else seemed to feel the same as her. Why was that?

Then, she remembered. "Moving makes the poison spread faster." Unfortunately, though they could all cast a little bit of magic (although not as well as Lulu), they all used weapons which required movement - excluding Gippal - particularly since they had to move over the edge of the ship to attack the dragon.

Evrae looked directly at Gippal as its eyes flashed. Stone began to encase the Al Bhed, starting at the bottom of his boots. He lifted up his feet, but the movement caused the spell to spread faster. "The only person who doesn't need to move much to fight..." mumbled Tidus as Gippal became a stone statue. The wind became more vicious, and the rain began to fall even harder.

Rikku dug into her pocket as the airship moved away from the dragon and uncorked a bottle before throwing it over them. The stone cracked, freeing Gippal, and curing them all of poison. "Alright! Now... Tidus and I can't attack the wyrm thingy."

"_You _can," pointed out Tidus. "Can't you mix together a bunch of items to make new stuff?"

Rikku could have smacked her forehead. "Oh! You're right!" She patted Tidus on the shoulder. "Well... you're on healing duty, then!"

Tidus nodded. "Leave it to me. I guess I'll test out some of the white magic I've learned..." He raised his left arm suddenly, and a golden light fell over Rikku, whose breathing increased and body began to sway from side to side two times faster.

Gippal stared at the younger Al Bhed. "What the hell did you do to her?"

"A Haste spell?" asked Ashlin. "On Rikku of all people?"

"People using guns shouldn't be on Haste." Neither of them argued with Tidus' logic.

Gippal lazily raised his revolver and fired a few rounds at Evrae, whom screeched in the distance. "So much for a guardian. He hasn't even moved..." It almost sounded like Ashlin was complaining, and Gippal accused her of as much. "I am... Well, yeah, I am. The only thing I can attack it with as long as it's far off is this pistol. I can barely shoot something five inches in front of me, let alone five hundred feet." She raised the pistol, closing one eye as she took aim. The gun shot once and missed the guardian wyrm by a mile.

Gippal sighed and put a hand to his forehead. "Geez, how'd you ever manage to get by on your own?" He threw his revolver to Tidus, who jumped a little as he caught it. "There, use that. It'll stop you from casting anymore potentially deadly spells on Cid's Girl."

"It's not deadly..." argued Tidus.

"I have a name!" reminded Rikku as she looked up from sifting through her items. Her voice was unusually high, like a chipmunk, and her sentence sounding more like one word.

Gippal gestured to her. "My point exactly." Tidus silently agreed as he held up the revolver, staring at it with confusion as Gippal instructed Ashlin to hold her arms out straight.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to have Tidus, who has never used a gun in his life, to use your very complicated one?" wondered Ashlin as Gippal put his arms around her and placed his hands over hers.

"As long as he doesn't shoot us it doesn't matter," answered Gippal. He raised their arms a little. "The bullet should be able to make the distance, but you have to compensate for the air flow that it's gonna lose while traveling, so shoot a little higher than your target... What?" Ashlin was staring up at him funny. "What?"

Ashlin bit back a laugh. "You sounded... smart."

"Don't let my looks, romantic charm, and sense of humor full you. Underneath here," he pointed to his head, "there's a ton going on."

"I totally believe you," agreed Ashlin. He raised their arms again, and they shot a little over Evrae's head. As Gippal had said, the bullet lost some momentum, but it still managed to make contact on Evrae's chest. She pumped her fist into the air. "Success! Well," she said as she turned toward Gippal, "I guess I do believe you, since you were right."

Off to the side, Rikku was all but throwing her items into the air in her frenzied moments while Tidus pointed Gippal's revolver at the ground. His finger accidentally grazed the trigger and several rounds were fired into the top of the Fahrenheit. "Hey! Watch it!" shouted Cid.

"Sorry..." Tidus threw the revolver back to Gippal, who eagerly received it.

Ashlin raised an eyebrow at Gippal. "See?"

"Better the ship than one of us..."

The intercom rang again with Cid's voice. "Not so sure about that one!" A pause. "Alright! We're hitting it with all we've got!" The numerous cannons that had opened from the top of the ship and the side now roared with the sounds of missiles being shot through the air, and there were a lot of them. Evrae reared and roared but was completely unable to avoid the missiles. "Yeehaw! Nailed 'im!"

Once the smoke cleared from the attacks, they realized that Evrae was gone. Rikku, her body still moving too fast to be normal, abandoned her item search and peeked over the side of the ship. Tidus and Ashlin did the same, and Gippal held up his revolver as he glanced from where he stood. Then, Evrae surged up from beneath the ship and knocked them all to their feet with its exceptionally long tail. Everyone but Gippal nearly fell off of the ship.

On his way down, Gippal shot a round at Evrae's neck, catching it by surprise. At the same time, Rikku, who had combined a few grenades with a fish scale, threw the finished item at Evrae as it prepared to breathe poison. The concoction resulted upon contact, and a dangerous burst of water continuously exploded on it. Then, Tidus cart wheeled and twirled in midair before slicing across the wrym's chest. The lift door opened suddenly, startling Ashlin into shooting one of Evrae's wings.

"Whoa!" They heard Wakka exclaim.

"You can gawk once we've finished," reprimanded Auron as he and the others joined Tidus, Rikku, Ashlin and Gippal. No one questioned Rikku's appearance.

Ashlin rested the pistol against her shoulder. "Then there won't be anything to gawk at."

Auron glanced at her. "Exactly." He raised his katana and rushed at Evrae, stopping at the edge as he raised the katana to the side. Then, after gathering some energy, he swung it and hit Evrae.

Lulu raised her moogle as she sized up the guardian dragon. A black and purple sphere appeared in Evrae's chest and expanded outward, causing it to roar in pain. Ashlin and Tidus jumped and sliced at either of Evrae's wings. "Move," ordered Kimahri suddenly. They all parted for him. He inhaled deeply then breathed outward. Instead of breathing out air, he breathed out something dense and grey. When it touched Evrae, it began to slowly become covered in stone.

Wakka jumped upward and hit his ball at Evrae before it was completely encased, and it began to fall out of the sky. "One more time!" shouted Cid. More missiles shot out of the side and top of the ship, but mostly glanced off Evrae's body. They watched the dragon fall until they could no longer seeing it, knowing it would shatter into a million pieces once it hit the ground or anything else.

Rikku's body finally began to slow down. She jumped up several times and pounded her fist into her palm. "Yes! We did it!"

"If we'd had Kimahri, we never would have had to fight, or get hurt, in the first place," noted Ashlin. "But that's okay. Seeing Tidus shoot the ship was worth it."

"How'd you guys finally manage to join us?" asked Tidus.

Lulu answered. "A few Al Bhed fixed the lift."

"We're losin' power fast!" announced Cid as the ship shook and veered violently, causing them all to fall down. "Bevelle!" Ashlin, Rikku, and Tidus crawled to the very front of the deck and peered down at the city. Wedding bells chimed down below as Seymour and Yuna walked side by side down an aisle, despite the rain. Guards and what looked like robots also decorated the aisle. Pyreflies floated above Bevelle, their light piercing through the darkness.

Yuna looked beautiful beneath her long veil, which covered almost her whole body but was still not good enough to stop her hair from being plastered to her face and neck. Her wedding dress was strapless and, in the front, cut at the knees with a long train that trailed behind her. She clutched a bouquet of flowers in her shaking hands and was staring intently at them. "She doesn't want to marry you, yccruma!" exclaimed Ashlin.

Wen Kinoc looked up at the pyreflies and gestured to the guards, who raised their guns - "Guns?" shouted Wakka. "They're not... They shouldn't..." The guards aimed at the ship as it hurled toward the red city.

Rikku raised her head from the ship in order for her voice to carry better. Lightning struck in the distance and thunder rumbled; she tried not to notice it. "Vydran! Namayca dra rynbuuhc!"

Ashlin looked at her. "What are you planning?"

Rikku was grinning. "You'll see!"

"Fyed vun dra nekrd susahd!" replied Cid.

Wen Kinoc ordered, "Fire!" Rikku rolled her eyes. They were going to crash very, very soon, black smoke was emitting from the tail of the ship, and they were being shot at.

"No time like the present, Pops!" remarked Tidus. Below, Seymour yanked Yuna up a staircase to the altar where they were to be wed, and the ship sailed past them. Then, it did a u-turn and sailed slightly higher into the air as a few harpoons shot out of the side of the Fahrenheit and sank into the aisle below. Everyone peeled themselves off of the top of the ship. "Let's go!" cheered Tidus.

Ashlin turned toward Gippal, who rubbed the back of his neck. "So, I guess this is goodbye?"

"Not goodbye," he replied. "Not exactly. We'll see each other again, but I see duty calls. I'd like to pick a fight with Yevon myself, but... it would just be kinda stupid of me."

"You are kinda stupid," pointed out Ashlin, "so you may as well."

Gippal grinned. "Nah, not this time round. I'll let you have all the fun, Ace. Get your summoner back. Make me proud."

Ashlin nodded. "I can't hug you because that would mean goodbye, so..." She held out her hand. Gippal chuckled but, after a moment, took it and shook it.

"Alright. Good luck."

Ashlin moved toward the line after Rikku. "No such thing as luck." Then, she stepped onto it and began to slide down. On the line beside them, she noticed Kimahri holding onto Lulu as they slid, something that Wakka, she thought, should have done. Tidus was in the very front, jumping from one line to the next. As they moved more at an angle, their bodies moved faster, and Ashlin clenched onto Ashlin. "I don't like this...!" The sentence began normally, but 'this' ended in a scream.

They gracefully touched down into the middle of the aisle, halfway through it, and found themselves immediately surrounded. "Run!" ordered Lulu.

They dodged the guards, Kimahri and Auron attacking some of them as they ran. Guns were fired at their backs. Finally, they were halfway up the staircase to Yuna when too many soldiers got too close to them. "Yuna!" shouted Tidus.

Yuna turned toward him immediately with a look of relief that was immediately replaced by one of horror as the rifles were raised and pointed at her friends. Kinoc stared at them. "This foolishness has gone on for long enough. Stop here or be shot to your deaths."

The horrified expression faded as Yuna took one hand off her flowers and put it behind her back. Her rod appeared into it in a flash, and the bouquet dropped to the ground as she made her weapon's presence known. In response, Kinoc pointed his rifle directly into Tidus' face.

"Tidus!" yelled Ashlin. She made a move to grab her pistol but stopped immediately as a rifle was pointed at her arm and throat. "...Oh."

"Big meanies!" cried Rikku.

Seymour chuckled at his bride. "You astonish me, Yuna. All this," he gestured to the wedding, "just to Send me? I feel I should be honored. Your resolve… It is truly amazing. I am honored to take you as my wife."

Yuna scowled. Ashlin was not quite sure she had ever seen the expression the summoner's face before. "Do not pretend like I had a choice," she murmured. "I was forced into this."

"No one was holding a gun to your head," replied Seymour before chuckling at his own, twisted joke. Yuna began to twirl the rod, and a few pyreflies began to float around Seymour. The rain seemed to fall even harder.

More guns were turned onto them, and Ashlin felt her head swim a little. She swayed a little, and the gun in her arm pushed in deeper. "Stop now! Do you not value your friends lives? Send Maester Seymour and they will all perish here, at your feet. Is that what you want?" demanded Kinoc.

The rod dropped harmlessly from Yuna's grip, sailed down the stairs and stopped at Tidus' feet. She dropped her head somewhat. Ashlin and Rikku were whispering to one another. "Good girl," remarked Seymour before stepping closer to her. He put his hands on her shoulders, and she begrudgingly looked up at him just in time for him to thrust his face into hers. His lips crashed against hers, and wedding bells rang while the guards and Maesters clapped. Lulu gasped, Wakka made disgruntled noises, Kimahri growled, and Tidus looked pissed. Seymour continued the kiss, and Yuna's hands balled into fists. Tidus became even more pissed.

While the guards remained distracted, Rikku had fished Ashlin's pistol out of her belt and handed it over to her. Seymour looked over at the group with a cold, detached expression. He smiled. "Kill them."

Kinoc looked at Auron. "I apologize. This is… for Spira, for Yevon."

"Aren't the rifles forbidden by Yevon?" wondered Auron.

Kinoc chuckled. "We make exceptions."

"You would make exceptions for yourselves," mumbled Lulu. Kinoc's rifle moved from Tidus' and was then shoved into Auron's. Ashlin and Rikku growled under their breaths.

Seymour grabbed Yuna's arm. "Come, my wife and I do not have all day."

Ashlin raised her right arm a few inches. "Hey, Seymour!" He looked toward her at the same time as her hand squeezed the trigger. The bullet shot into his shoulder. The guard with the rifle pressed into Ashlin's arm fired and she cried out. "Vilg!" Rikku quickly cast a protect spell on them, so when all of the other guards fired, they were not injured.

Seymour's injury and distraction allowed Yuna to pull away and move toward the ledge. "Stop! Don't hurt them or I'll…" She glanced down past the ledge. "I'll jump!"

Seymour cover his wound with his hand. "Don't be foolish. If you jump, you will die." Yuna smirked somewhat at him, another first.

Kinoc lowered his rifle and looked at the guards with a somewhat panicked expression. "Lower your weapons!" After a moment's hesitation, they obeyed him. Tidus grabbed Yuna's rod and moved to the top of the stairs with Rikku.

"Yuna!" breathed Tidus.

Yuna shook her head. "Hurry up and go! I'll be fine."

"But, you'll get hurt," cried Rikku.

"I won't," promised Yuna as a smile appeared on her lips. "I can fly."

Ashlin covered her arm the same way Seymour had as she climbed up the rest of the stairs and approached Yuna, passing up Tidus and Rikku. She stopped beside Yuna. "I'll come with."

Tidus shook his head. "No, neither of you are jumping!"

"If you jump, I jump," said Ashlin to Yuna.

Yuna nodded. "Alright." She looked at Seymour and purposely wiped her lips. Seymour rolled his eyes. Ashlin released her arm and took Yuna's hand as they took a few more steps backward. "One, two… three!" They fell off of the ledge and plunged into the city; Ashlin's eyes were closed and her grip was painful for Yuna. Tidus, Rikku, and the rest of the guardians looked over the side at the same time as Seymour, Kinoc and Mika did the same on the opposite side. "Let go, trust me," mumbled Yuna. Ashlin did so but still did not open her eyes. Yuna's hands opened up, and a bright light emitted from the sky.

Valefor let loose a loud cry as she soared down to catch the two teenagers. She pressed her wings against her body in order to drop faster and turned beneath them with her wings out. Ashlin and Yuna landed safely, and the rain ceased as the grey clouds died and the sun shined.

The guardians turned away from the ledge. Lulu was rubbing her temples and looked both stressed and extremely relieved. Rikku dug into her pocket. "Cover your eyes!" she ordered the others. Once they did so, she threw a grenade. Smoke fell over the area.

"Wh-what's that?" coughed Wakka.

"A flashbomb," answered Rikku.

Auron grabbed hold of Tidus as he charged at Seymour. "Lemme go! I'm gonna kill Seymour!"

"Let's get out of here while we still can," remarked Lulu. They broke through the crowd, with Auron dragging Tidus, and did not stop running until they were in a different area, before a tall, red building.

Auron finally released Tidus. "Where'd they go?" he demanded.

"We're in Bevelle. They can only be in one place…" Lulu trailed off.

Tidus nodded. "Of course, the Chamber of the Fayth!"

* * *

**Uv luinca! - **Of course!

**Oui'na cu yhhuoehk **- You're so annoying...

**Vydran! Suja pylg! **- Father! Move back!

**Fyed! **- Wait!

**Yccruma **- Asshole

**Vydran! Namayca dra rynbuuhc! **- Father! Release the harpoons!

**Fyed vun dra nekrd susahd! - **Wait for the right moment!


	15. Memento Mori

**Chapter Fourteen:  
**Memento mori

**Note: Shortly before I wrote this chapter, it became apparent to me that instead of walking down all of the stairs in the Bevelle temple, you can just play with the machina at the top... and be transported. Ugh. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

_'Fumbled trust, the father is dead. Cathedrals are burning.  
_

_Lies fuel fires, fear burns red, now I'm cold.'  
_

**-"Memento Mori" by The Academy Is...**

* * *

Ashlin pushed her hair out of her face and fiddled with her ribbon, which was still tied around her arm. Yuna was standing a few steps away from Ashlin and was staring at the water falling from the ceiling though her eyes were unfocused. "I guess now might not be the best of times to mention that this temple seems to utilize machina, huh? Which means it's an even worst time to mention that I have no clue how they work." Still winded from the jump of faith, she glanced over the railing and saw that the staircase wound downward and downward and downward...

Yuna seemed perfectly calm, but she only seemed that way because Ashlin could not see her face. She turned toward the other girl in time to see her tying the ribbon around the wound she had sustained from one of the monks. "I'm... so sorry. I've put you and the others through so much. Now, we're enemies."

Ashlin signaled for them to start walking down the staircase. "This isn't your fault. It's not like you willing gave yourself to them... right?"

"I didn't. They found me in the desert. First, they said that you were all dead, but I... didn't believe them. Then, Seymour showed up and... the last thing I can remember is getting hit by many thunder spells." Ashlin winced in sympathy. "When I woke up, I was in a suite in Bevelle, and Tromell informed me I was to wed Seymour. I argued and fought but... what could I do?" Her last words were almost inaudible.

A little hesitantly, Ashlin reached out and patted Yuna's shoulder. "You didn't do anything wrong. To be honest? You look beautiful." Yuna looked at her with a weak smile. "So I guess that whole marrying Seymour for him to turn himself in probably wouldn't have worked. If everyone's so determined to keep a dead Seymour 'alive', then they would not have allowed an alive Seymour to go to jail."

"If they only knew..."

"Tromell knows. All of the Guado know. They're all standing behind him," remarked Ashlin bitterly.

Yuna picked up her dress a little as they increased their speed down the stairs. "I... guess I can understand. To a point," she added at Ashlin's incredulous stare. "He's their leader. Without him, they can't imagine what they would do. Losing one leader is enough, but another... It's not justice; it's survival."

"You _really _aren't anything like what you appear," noted Ashlin. Yuna chose to take this as a compliment. Once they reached the bottom of the staircase, the Al Bhed said, "Man, this place is just full of machina. They betray their own teachings. How could you still want to continue your pilgrimage?"

Yuna shook her head and looked up for a moment as they passed through the doorway, walked down a staircase, and started toward the entrance of the trials. "I'm not doing it for Yevon. I'm doing this for Spira. I want the people, especially the good people, to have a reprieve from Sin..."

"Speaking of..." Ashlin inhaled deeply and glanced at Yuna briefly. They both stopped at the entrance to the trials. "Tidus, he found out about the end of your pilgrimage..." She paused to get a good look at Yuna, who appeared horrified. "I wasn't there at the time, but I guess Rikku broke down and told him the truth."

"It's... for the best," concluded Yuna as they stepped through the doorway and walked down the platform to where an altar sat. She pushed it into the center of the pillar, and both girls screamed as their bodies became transparent and dropped through the pillar. They were hardly given a moment to gather their thoughts, as the platform moved again, dropping down a slope and continuing straight until it stopped at the end of the path.

Ashlin grabbed the metal bars that made up the gate that stretched along the path. Her jaw practically dropped as she breathed, "Cred..." She drew out the word for a few breaths. "This place... It's..."

"Completely made of machina," finished Yuna as she looked around. "We need to figure it out quickly so we can hurry to the Chamber of the Fayth."

"Do you really think we'll be able to get out before the maesters track us down?"

The platform abruptly surged forward, apparently being controlled by Yuna. Ashlin did not quite understand how she was doing it and did not ask. "I won't let that stop me. I won't give up until I run out of options."

"When the maesters do get to us, we'll be sentenced to the Via Purifico. I have no doubt about that. It's inescapable... And then...?"

Yuna shook her head as the platform abruptly stopped and they, along with the altar, were pushed onto a side path with an orb. "I won't give up. Besides, once the other maesters learn that Seymour is unsent, they should see eye-to-eye with us. We won't be punished for something that wasn't our fault."

"You have so much faith," noted Ashlin as she grabbed the orb, threw it up and down in her hand, and placed it in the altar. They pushed the altar back onto the transparent path, and the platform reappeared. Ashlin glanced at Yuna quickly and noticed she was pale. "You don't look so good. I'm sorry. I'm worrying you, aren't I?"

"No, I'm just a little tired from all of the excitement. I'll be fine."

Ashlin looked over Yuna once and raised an eyebrow with obvious disbelief. She was also quite exhausted from the extremely long day, but she knew it was nothing in comparison to Yuna's exhaustion. The summoner had been struck by a group of thunder spells at once, after all. "Why don't you leave the trials to me? You can shout orders at me from the side."

**XxX**

Some time had passed, and Yuna and Ashlin found themselves walking up a staircase to a path higher up from the trials. Ashlin shook her head and looked around. "I'm not even sure how we made it here... This is the end, right?" she added in a more guarded manner.

Yuna nodded. "It should be." **(A/n: Quite frankly, the Bevelle trials just give me a headache, so I skipped it. Sorry.) **They turned down the right side of the path and walked through a large doorway before finding themselves in the room outside the Chamber of the Fayth. "We made it. Well..." She glanced at Ashlin and smiled. "Mostly thanks to you, Ashlin. Thank you."

Ashlin smiled. "What else is a guardian supposed to do?"

Yuna grasped her rod in her hand for a moment, staring at the door, then looked back to the other girl. "Could I ask one more thing of you?" Ashlin nodded. "I know it's against the rules, but we've already broken so many... Will you come into the Chamber of the Fayth with me? I don't think I'll be strong enough to get back out on my own."

"Sure, but are you sure? I've always wanted to see what one of those look like..." They pulled up the door and entered the Chamber of the Fayth. Ashlin noted that in the center of the chamber was some type of statue, what looked like a black, leathery wing and a golden wheel. It was somewhat frightening but very, very enticing.

Yuna knelt down in the center of the room, something which must have been difficult in her wedding gown, and closed her eyes. Ashlin admired the back of it, which seemed to have angel wings on it. A moment later, a transparent being appeared over Yuna. It was the size of a child and wore a purple robe with the hood up. "What's that?" Ashlin did not receive an answer and understood why.

There was a sudden rumble from behind them, and Ashlin quickly turned on her heel and unsheathed the sword all in one fluid movement. Blue claws were gripping the bottom of the door and, once the door was open a little bit, someone crawled under it. That someone was Tidus. "Ash!" He looked past her at Yuna, then his eyes fell on the fayth. For a moment, something like recognition flashed in his eyes. "What is that?"

"A fayth, I think," answered Ashlin as she turned back to the transparent child. Suddenly, the fayth entered into Yuna's body, and she began to fall to the ground. Tidus instantly ran forward and caught her before she fell; a smile appeared on Ashlin's face. "See, Yuna? You didn't need me for this one after all."

Ashlin ducked under the door to join, she guessed, the others. As soon as she appeared on the other side, she was horrified by what she saw. The guards had, as she had predicted, caught up and had their rifles pointed at everyone. A rifle was pointed at her, and she backed up against the door. "Ash, don't let them come out!" shouted Rikku.

One of the guards signaled for her to move while two others pointed their weapons at her. "Move, heathen, or we will shoot."

"What good would that do? Then, my dead body will block you from getting in. Besides, that's a sacred place. You wouldn't defile a sacred place with your weapons, would you?"

Kinoc stepped forward. "You all must be tried for your crimes. That is much more important."

"Is it?" wondered Auron; Kinoc turned toward him. "You have changed, Kinoc."

"Have I? Or is it you that has changed from your ten year disappearance?"

Tidus' boot lightly touched Ashlin's calf. "Ash, move."

"No, you can't come out. There are guards out here."

"Wh-what? Well, we can't just hide in here!"

"Yes, you can!" argued Rikku.

One of the guards hit Ashlin with their rifle, knocking her to the side and into Kimahri. "Boy, do not think we will not shoot you. Now, get out here!" Begrudgingly, Tidus complied.

Kinoc nodded. "Good. That's the last of them. Now, for the trial."

Smirking, Auron asked, "A fair trial?"

With a creepy smile, Kinoc responded, "But of course. Once we get to the court house, she may change. She does not deserve to be in that gown." He gestured to Yuna's unconscious form. Then, one by one, they were led out of the room with rifles jabbing into their backs.

**XxX**

Yuna came to shortly after they were led out of the temple and, as promised, she changed back into her summoner's clothes in a storage closet that, Ashlin was sure, the guards had made sure had no back doors. Once she changed, she was ushered onto a hovering platform that floated between a few higher balconies that the maesters were situated on. Her guardians were left on the ground level with guards surrounding them.

"The High Court of Yevon is now in session," announced an aging Ronso. "We only seek the truth, in Yevon's name." As he spoke, Ashlin watched the other maesters and wondered how many of them truly believed in and acted on the truth. Seymour was standing on a side balcony, so that meant one down. "If you believe in Yevon and speak truthfully, then you have nothing to fear, Summoner Yuna."

Tidus leaned toward Lulu. "Who's he?"

"Maester Kelk Ronso."

"I do not quite understand, Summoner Yuna. You are a summoner, an advocate for the people of Spira, and yet... you and your summoners have inflicted injury upon Maester Seymour many times, as well as conspired with the Al Bhed. These are serious, traitorous crimes. Explain yourself. Is it because the two Al Bhed in your group have pressured you into doing so?" Rikku scowled.

Yuna shook her head. "Your Grace, the Al Bhed have done _nothing _wrong, and the true traitor is Seymour! He killed his father, Maester Jyscal!"

At this, Kelk Ronso appeared truly surprised, but none of the other maesters did. "That can't be good... Why is it that he's the only one who seems amazed?" asked Ashlin.

"Because the rest of the maesters are in on whatever plan has been concocted," replied Auron. "Ronso are honest beings, therefore Kelk couldn't have been involved in their plan."

"And in addition to that, Seymour is dead himself. He walks Spira as an unsent!" Another incredulous stare from the Ronso.

Lulu was ready to come to Yuna's defense. "Maester Kelk Ronso, Yuna was carrying out her duty as a summoner, sending Maester Seymour to the Farplane!"

Yuna stared straight at Mika. "Please, Grand Maester Mika, I beseech of you... Send Seymour!" Mika moved past Kelk, who stepped to the side.

"Send... an unsent?" repeated Mika as if it were the most bizarre thing in the world.

Ashlin raised an eyebrow. "Well, duh," she mumbled.

Mika began to chuckle, even more bizarre than his response, and Yuna stared at him. "M-Maester M-Mika?"

"Send the unsent to the Farplane..." mused Mika as a few pyreflies escaped from his body. Yuna and her guardians, with the exception of Auron and Kimahri, gasped. "Then, I suppose you would have to send me as well..."

Wakka shook his head. "What? That..."

Kelk inclined his head. "Grand Maester Mika is most vital to the survival of Spira and Yevon. Without him..."

Kinoc continued, "If any of our valued maesters were to be sent to the Farplane, their invaluable intelligence would be lost and replaced with clumsy, ignorance from younger fools..."

"Death is a part of Spira, it rules this world. Eventually, all give into death... As part of Spira, it is only natural that death would rule Spira," mused Mika.

Ashlin glanced around at the others, who appeared similarly confused and distraught by the news. "This is craziness! Death happens, and we have to move on from it. Life is about taking chances, not holding onto what has gone simply because we're afraid of failure."

Seymour chuckled. "Curious that you would be the one to say that, mm?" She scowled at him.

"Speaking out of turn? That, I believe, earns you eternal sentencing in the Via Purifico," decided Kinoc.

Rikku jumped up and down. "Hey! That's not fair! We're entitled to our own opinions!"

Kinoc chuckled and narrowed his eyes. "You see, that's the funny thing about being a heathen... Your opinions do not matter here. Guards, take them both to the Via Purifico!" Though Kimahri, Lulu, Wakka and Auron showed signs of resisting, the guards broke through the group and began to drag the Al Bhed out of the room.

"You said that if Yuna was honest, then she wouldn't be punished. She and the others! You can punish us, but you can't punish them! They did nothing wrong!" shouted Ashlin. But her and Rikku's shouts were ignored until, finally, they disappeared from the room.

**XxX**

After being informed that the maesters were to decide on an "appropriate sentencing", everyone was separated. Tidus and Auron were led into a room with a bunch of jail cells hanging from the ceiling. Much to their surprise, along with the guards, Ashlin was in one of the cells, so Tidus and Auron were put in a cell opposite her. Ashlin pushed her bangs out of her face and gripped the bars. "Tell me where Rikku is!"

The guards exchanged a quick, confused the glance. "The other heathen? Beats the hell outta us. We don't even know why you're still allowed to _breathe_." Then, he spat in her general direction before leaving. Ashlin scowled.

"What happened?" Tidus and Ashlin asked each other at the same time.

"The maesters are deciding on an execution appropriate for us," informed Auron.

Ashlin nodded. "Well, Rikku and I were being dragged to the Via Purifico, when Mika came up to us and said I was to be held in a cell on account of someone wanting to see me... But I don't know what happened to Rikku." She winced. "Well, I guess I do..."

"Who wants to see you?" The way Tidus asked her made it sound like no one would ever want to see her.

"Thanks, thank you for that vote of confidence."

Tidus shook his head. "No, I was just saying... Aren't all of your friends, you know... us?" He gestured to himself and Auron.

"I think Lulu might like me, too." Ashlin's attempt at humor was relieving but almost completely ineffective. "I don't know. I don't know anyone. Well... I mean... Whatever. Point is, I have no clue. Where are the others?"

"No clue," mumbled Tidus. "I hope Yuna's okay..."

Auron inclined his head somewhat. "She'll be fine. Yuna is strong."

"Fine?" Tidus shook his head as he slid to a sitting position. "I didn't come from here, so I guess I might not understand the way you do but... living through whatever bullshit the maesters put us through just for Yuna to die is not fine. Dying is not fine.

Auron seemed almost sympathetic, though it was quite hard to tell. "It's inescapable. Spira is an endless cycle of death. That... is how it had been for a long time." His tone did not suggest how he felt about this, but Tidus was pretty sure that he had a good answer.

Ashlin's cell shook as she hit it. "But that's so wrong. I understand that one person sacrificing themselves for the whole world is little to ask for, but if it keeps happening... What's the point in letting it go on? In continuously throwing away these people's lives?" She shook her head as her hands clutched the bars so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "What about the summoners and the guardians who become the Final Aeon? They mean something to at least one person... How is this right?"

Auron chuckled bitterly. "It's not. It's tradition. People get stuck in tradition and stop thinking outside of the box."

Tidus shook his head as he stood. "Well, not us. We'll find a way. I won't let Yuna die."

Ashlin nodded her head eagerly. "I'm with you!"

The sound of several steps of footsteps echoed in the empty chamber. A duo of guards barely stepped into the hallway and gestured to Ashlin's cell before leaving. Then, a tall man with short, light brown hair and bright blue eyes walked over to her cell. Tidus and Auron watched him. "Ashlin, it's been quite some time. The last time I saw you, you couldn't separate yourself from your mother. Now, here you are, all by yourself, facing imminent death."

She stared at him. "Barrett..." What was she supposed to say to the man that willingly kicked out his wife and children, that kicked out her and her mother in their time of need? "What do you want from me? What could I possibly give to you? And, more over, how did you even know I was here?"

"A friend told me. Well, not a friend, not really. A heathen man told me-"

"What?" Ashlin scowled. Somehow, her father had gotten off of the airship, had found this man and just... knew? "Fryd dra vilg!"

Barrett chuckled. "I do not understand your primal, heathen language. I apologize. I simply came here to see you one more time, and to thank you."

"Thank me?"

"Yes, because of you, my daughter came back to me. I would say that I appreciated if you hadn't driven her to it. Your betrayal."

"Betrayal?" Ashlin felt like a primitive being at that point. All she could do was repeat everything that he said. "A-Aimee? She came back?"

Barrett nodded. "Oh, yes. All bloodied and bruised, she returned to me. She said that she hated you, and that you had killed Jaidan."

"I didn't kill Jaidan!" Ashlin lunged at him, momentarily forgetting the bars, and rubbed her forehead. "I didn't kill either of them."

"Either of them?"

"Yes, that precious baby girl came back to you because she's an unsent. A rightfully pissed unsent. You know, you should do the right thing and take her to Mika to be sent... but, I'm sure he'll go on and on how she's better as a walking dead, anyway."

"What are you rambling on about?"

Ashlin smiled bitterly. "Aimee never came back to you. She hated you, and so did Jaidan. Did you even know your wife died? The only reason she came back to you is because you're familiar, and a fool. I bet she hoped that, somehow, you'd find me."

"Of course I know my wife died. Once again, that was your doing. Or, at least, your mother's."

"Blaming a dead woman, very nice. Is their a point to this visit?"

Barrett nodded. "Yes. I just wanted to see you in the last moments of your life; I wanted to give you something to consider." His eyes fell on the bloodied ribbon tied around her arm, then moved down to the sword and pistol.

"You recognize them."

"Yes, Aimee informed me that you stole her pistol, and took Jaidan's sword as he lay dying. That's very good of you. You live up to your heathen nature. I would say that I will see you in the Farplane, but... I won't, will I? Heathens and traitors simply rot." Then, Barrett turned on his heel and left the room.

Tidus and Auron were staring at her. "I... None of what he said was true."

"We're kinda past the point of judging each other, right?" remarked Tidus, and Ashlin guessed it was true. She knew all of his business, so he might as well know hers. "So, what really happened?"

Ashlin mulled it over. Did she want to tell him? Not really. They were at their last moments, though, so there could be no harm in saying anything... "One night in Macalania Woods, we needed more firewood, so Jaidan went to get some. Aimee and stayed back and waited for him. While he was gone, Aimee poked her nose around to see what she could find and... Auron's right, the crystals in that area do attract fiends. A Chimera stepped out from behind one of the trees and attacked Aimee. I was... too afraid to do anything. I'd never tried to fight a Chimera on my own, and Aimee was struck down while I hesitated. She screamed and cried with pain; Aimee never cried and barely screamed.

"Eventually, Jaidan came running. Though he knew he couldn't do anything, he attacked the stupid Chimera, and it tore them both apart. Then, it just stalked off, like it didn't care anymore about whatever had brought it there. And I just watched the Chimera leave and just... watched my friends die." Ashlin narrowed her eyes as tears threatened to build up and fall. "I used to love Macalania Woods, but now I hate it. For years, I made sure to avoid it at all costs, if I could. I thought of going to Bevelle to tell their father, but I figured that, one, he didn't care and, two, I would be shooed out of there as soon as I stepped in. Now you know. That's why Chimeras make me want to pass out from fear."

Like Rikku, Tidus did not seem to mind prying, but Ashlin guessed that she knew so much about him that he had every right. "So, how do you know Seymour?"

"After Jaidan and Ai died, I ran out of the woods. I got through the Thunder Plains, but I was attacked in both areas and collapsed just outside of Guadosalam. Most people that passed through to the Thunder Plains just disregarded me. Then, Seymour found me... He brought me to some rest house, and I was allowed to say until I was better. Every day, he came to see me. He told me things about himself, and he must have felt a real connection with me because he... Well, it doesn't matter. But he had a scary temper, and I told him I had no interest in sticking around in Guadosalam, especially with him."

Auron nodded in understanding. "And that is why he hit you in Macalania."

"Revenge, I guess. He also threatened to drag my ass here and throw me in the Via Purifico. Well, I guess dreams really do come true," mused Ashlin as she gripped the bars and stared at the floor. "Three years ago, all I wanted was death. I wished for death. I was almost angry at Seymour for getting me help. And now I have friends, and I'm going to lose everything. But it's too bad. If any of us had known that this was going to happen, then I think we all would have seized the day, right, Tidus?"

Tidus shook his head. "This isn't the end."  
"Maybe not for you," agreed Ashlin. "I certainly hope not because someone has to make sure Yuna makes it since Rikku and I won't be there to ensure it..." Footsteps echoed in the room once more as Wen Kinoc entered with a few monks flanking him. He gestured to the cells, and the monks moved to open the doors. Tidus and Ashlin were led down the opposite side of the corridor from Auron. In the next hall, the monks split apart in order to lead Tidus down a separate passageway than Ashlin. "Wait!" Tidus struggled against the monk as he strained to get a look at where she was being led. "Where are they taking her? Ash!"

The monk jabbed his flame thrower into Tidus' back. "To join the other heathen so that they may rot together. Now, get moving!" He jabbed the weapon a little harder and Tidus began to move at a normal pace once again.

Ashlin was led all the way to the end of the passageway where there was a tiny pool of water. "What...?" Before she could form a coherent sentence, the monk pushed her into the pool. When she attempted to get back out, he stepped on her hand.

"Get going, heathen! Join your friend!" he barked as she removed her hand. One of the other monks moved over to a small machina in the corner. He pressed a button, and a cover formed over the pool, making the small tunnel pitch black. Darkness was dangerous; anything could jump out of the dark. Ashlin had never realized that she was afraid of the dark before, but she could not acknowledge now. She inhaled deeply before diving into the unpredictable darkness, her hands feeling her way down.

**XxX**

The place that Yuna had been dragged to looked simply like a dark, dank dungeon with too many different pathways. She hovered in the center of the room that she had been thrown into and looked around. That was it. This was the cherry on top. She had spoken truthfully, and, in return, she and her guardians had been sentenced to slow, painful deaths in the Via Purifico. What was more was that every maester was aware and satisfied with the dead maesters still ruling Spira. Dodging death was alright so long as you were a person in power.

"S-should I cast aside Yevon? Should I give up?"

She had told Ashlin that she would not give up, not ever. Learning how corrupt Bevelle, the center of the teachings of Yevon, was shook her beliefs to the core. Had her father really died for nothing? Had he died to allow Spira to live, unknowingly, under the rule of corrupt people? Yuna put a hand to her forehead as faintness came over her. "What do I do?"

Yuna stood up and looked around as she clutched her rod tightly. Angry growls echoed from within the labyrinth, and water dripped. How could she give up in this ugly place? How could she give up without finding her friends? "I won't give up," she vowed before taking a few steps forward, reaching a narrow hall.

A purple lizard passed the hall at first then, upon noticing Yuna, doubled back and crawled on the walls toward her. Just what she needed, a Cave Iguion. "But this place obviously thinks I should," she breathed as she began to summon.


	16. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

**Chapter Fifteen:  
**Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

* * *

The darkness lasted too long, making Ashlin unsure of where she was going as she continued to feel her way down the tunnel. Her hands suddenly stopped touching anything, and she felt momentarily panicked... Until she felt around and realized that the tunnel had bottomed out. Then, she moved around, hitting her head and scraping up her arms in the process, and finally saw light in the distance. Hopeful she was going to soon find Rikku, Ashlin swam quickly out of the tunnel and noticed that there was a wide underwater tunnel as well as light filtering above.

Ashlin quickly broke to the surface and inhaled as much air as she could, but she did not find Rikku. Her head was too close to the ceiling and continuously hit it. Deciding that Rikku was likely further ahead (because she could hold her breath for a really long time, unlike Ashlin), she dove again and continued onward.

**XxX**

Yuna felt more than a little tired as she stopped walking and rested against her rod for a moment. Though constantly summoning her new aeon had been exhausting, she was relieved that she at least had her aeons. It was nice not to be alone, which made her wonder how the others were fairing. After a few more moments of resting, she continued onward and found herself in another slightly larger area with a transportation device. The stone floor immediately alerted her to the arrival of a group of Cave Iguions by the sound of their claws scraping against the flagstone. She looked over expectantly, momentarily surprised when one actually jumped at her.

A shadow passed over her, and a spear rose up to deflect the Iguion. Yuna released a breath she had been unaware she was holding. "Yuna, I... I'm sorry I left you alone."

"It's not your fault, Kimahri," reassured Yuna, somewhat surprised by his use of first person. "Thank you for saving me."

"Kimahri always protect Yuna," he replied before stepping beside her as the Iguions lined up before them. Yuna raised her rod, and Kimahri instantly moved behind her. She was more than aware she had been favoring Bahamut (there was something relieving and very guardian-like about his presence), so she opted to summon Shiva.

Shiva made short work of the lizards, though her constant hurling of large chunks of ice at them made Yuna wonder if she would bring down the whole dungeon. After recalling the aeon, Yuna turned back toward Kimahri. "Have you seen the others?"

"No, but Kimahri sure they're here."

**XxX**

Rikku had long given up on waiting for Ashlin and was hoping to find an exit. As much as she would have liked to do otherwise, she could not hold her breath forever and wait. The sewer system was difficult to navigate with its many different paths though, so far, she had been fortunate enough not to be caught in a dead-end. _'I hope Yunie and the others are okay.' _

Curse those corrupt maesters! She and the others had been doing what was right the whole time, and they were repaid with a death sentence. Where was the justice? _'Maybe this'll be the last straw that makes Yunie give up her pilgrimage.' _It seemed like the only likely possibility given their situation... If they ever got out alive, that was.

_'Of course we will_._'_

Rikku continued swimming down the pathway, evading Sahagin when it was possible, and pressed her goggles a little tighter to her face to stop any water from getting in. She heard a loud bang from up ahead and immediately became encouraged that she was close to an exit...

But when she turned the corner and found the source of the noise, she became discouraged. Behind a gate was a navy-blue colored wyrm; the ghostly form of Evrae, Rikku realized, was attempting to break through the metal contraption. Backing away from it were two familiar men: Tidus and Wakka! She had to fight the instinct to shout their names and, against her better judgment, swam toward them.

She was noticed almost immediately. In what would have normally been a comical motion, Wakka frantically gestured to Evrae Altana as it continued to attempt to break down the gate. Rikku was, admittedly, perplexed by his antics at first, for she could clearly see the rampaging ghoul and understood the maesters had likely revived it. After a moment, it clicked.

Though Evrae Altana was trying its hardest to get a hold of them, it was likely also supposed to be guarding the exit. Why else would it be past a gated area? They had to fight it once again, but, this time, with a lot less people while holding their breath. What was the best way to kill something that was already dead?

**XxX**

Lulu rounded another corner in the silent labyrinth and was surprised and delighted to find, not only a more open space, but Auron leaning against a nearby wall. He did not seem to notice her at first or, more likely, acknowledge her presence. "Sir Auron?"

"Hn." He moved away from the wall and approached her. Neither of them often spoke on behalf of their thoughts or feelings; they were, more or less, the rocks of the group.

"What are we...? The maesters..." Lulu was beginning to feel like, recently, she could not find any words to piece together her feelings or thoughts. Auron, however, seemed like he knew what she was trying to say.

"We'll worry about that later. First, we find Yuna, then the exit. We'll deal with things as they come."

Lulu did not seem encouraged by his words. "They say there is no exit to the Via Purifico."

"If there is an entrance, there is an exit."

"And the others?"

Though he seemed to hesitate for a moment, he replied, "Yuna first. Everything else comes afterwards."

**XxX**

After a while of swimming, Ashlin noticed something standing out from the walls. It was shaped like a person - a woman - with flowing navy blue hair that had shells decorating the top of it like a headband. Her skin was blue, and she was barely covered with a shell bra and a translucent, pale blue skirt that had a train in the back. Ashlin was instantly reminded of Shiva, except that the creature had webbed feet and hands.

Unsure of the creature's intentions, she drew out her sword and, at the same time, swam. It felt a little weird, but it was, she supposed, silly to put it back every time she killed off fiends anyway. The creature took notice of her almost immediately, and Ashlin braced herself. She became slightly less wary the closer she got, for the creature simply stared at her with interested, pale blue eyes. "Come closer, girl, I won't hurt you. I, too, am a prisoner here..." Hesitantly, Ashlin complied. "Ah, yes, an Al Bhed girl. I feel like I have seen too many in this place, and I imagine you want to get out. I can help you, as I have tried to help others."

'Tried' to help? What exactly did that mean? "They don't make it very... easy to escape, to put it lightly," added the creature. "But I'm being rude. I am Isla, an Asrai. I have been trapped here for a very, very long time, having been captured... But I cannot leave because it is unsafe for me outside of this place. I miss my family, but I am no good to them as a puddle of water."  
Asrais were mythological creatures; Ashlin had heard of them from somewhere, but she had never thought they existed. Go figure that Bevelle would have one trapped beneath the city. "Come on." Then, Isla began to swim down a thin passageway instead of either of the large ones to Ashlin's left or right.

Sahagins continuously flocked up to them, and Isla always hovered behind while Ashlin was left to deal with them. It could have been worst; the Sahagins were little more than annoyances, but if Ashlin did not kill them off quickly, they tended to get the best of her. She found herself faintly annoyed once the last fiend died and Isla took the lead again. If Isla had been living in the sewers for so long, then shouldn't she be able to at least struggle in a fight?

Isla turned down another corner, a pathway which was very faintly lit. "This is it, the final stretch. Move quietly, and you should be home free." Quietly? As opposed to how loud Ashlin had been so far, she supposed. She was grateful for the bright color of Isla's hair and body, for Ashlin was quite sure she would have surely lost the nymph otherwise. Isla swam downward suddenly, and she followed closely.

When Ashlin was beside her, Isla pointed upward to a grate. "That is your destination," she announced. "But I am afraid that you will have to find a way to open it, and, at the same time, escape."

Ashlin's eyebrows furrowed as Isla moved away from her. Something seized her around the ankle and pulled her downward.

**XxX**

Evrae Altana breathed its stony breath at them, and they moved out of the way. Then, it charged at the gate again and knocked it down. Wakka hurled the blitz ball at the serpent, stunning it, and signaled for Tidus and Rikku to follow him. They quickly swam beneath the guardian wyrm and frantically searched for something resembling an exit. Before they got too far, Evrae came out of its daze and blocked them from going anywhere, its long body forming a type of barrier.

Rikku, the fastest out of the group, swam under Evrae and slashed his other side with her claw; he barely reacted though it sliced into his skin. She thought for a moment of a plan, but her thoughts were promptly interrupted as Evrae turned around and breathed its stone breath at her once again. Her body reacted immediately, moving her out of the way, while her eye caught something curious. Something scarlet was hovering over Evrae Altana and was absorbed into its skin.

Whatever it was emitted a golden light afterwards, causing it to roar out of pain. A phoenix down? Had Wakka intended to use that on her? But... she didn't need it. When it happened a second time, she knew it was not an accident, particularly when Evrae Altana's roars shook the sewer system. His body exploded into a cloud of pyreflies, and he was no more.

Rikku snapped. That was right! Zombies were hurt by healing substances!

**XxX**

Whilst being dangled upside down, Ashlin was somewhat confused at what she was staring at but knew it was definitely the thing that was holding her. The creature was a colossal, sea-green colored beast with at least ten dangling tentacles (two of which were longer than the rest). Located at the bottom of the gigantic, arrowhead-shaped head and obscured by the tentacles was a sharp, lethal-looking beak.

_'I think I found the reason why all of the people Isla 'helps' never get out alive.' _The giant squid flung Ashlin around so that she could see an upside down Isla.

"I apologize, but if I can't get out... why should anyone else?" Ashlin communicated her thoughts the best she could with her narrowed eyes. "This squid and I have a sort of... bond. We were both taken from our natural habitats and forced to stay here and do the bidding of the maesters of Bevelle."

Ashlin could not be angry, not really. She did not know Isla, so how could she expect her to be trustworthy? It was just more proof that she couldn't judge a book by its cover; even something extremely beautiful could be tainted and evil. Her hand found her sword (which, against her better judgement, she had decided to sheath earlier) easily and, a little wildly and uneasily, she swung the blade. The squid screeched with pain as red began to discolor the water, and she floated down toward the other tentacles.

She quickly recovered and swam for the grate. Ashlin stabbed the sword into the grate and moved it back and forth in an attempt to bend the bars apart. Two tentacles slunk up, wrapped around her stomach, and pulled her down. The sword floated down to the bottom of the sewer, and she was prevented from grabbing it as more tentacles wrapped around her.

**XxX**

A screech that had no business sounding echoed off the walls of the labyrinth. Yuna stopped immediately and looked around. "Kimahri, did you hear that?"

Kimahri grunted and pointed to a narrow path that snaked off to the right. "Came from down there." Allowing her curiosity to get the best of her, Yuna started down the path. They followed it until it emptied into another area with a transportation pad. There, they found Lulu and Auron.

"Lulu!" Yuna ran over to the older woman and they embraced briefly. Then, Lulu held Yuna at arm's length to get a good look at her; she seemed fine. "Lulu, Sir Auron, I'm... so sorry. All of this is my-"

Lulu shook her head. "Stop. Do not blame yourself. None of this would have happened if we had just gone with you to Macalania Temple..."

"Enough. Dwelling in the past is futile. We have no time to listen to regrets," remarked Auron, successfully cutting Lulu and Yuna's blame game short.

Yuna nodded. "You're right. I apologize. Have you seen the others?"

"No, but I'm sure they're up ahead. We'll have to watch carefully; there's some sort of beast lurking in here..." Auron and Lulu took up the lead, taking them down another narrow path, one which had a bunch of grates lining the right side. They came to a fork eventually: to their left, the path continued but ahead of them was a bronze gate with a small area and another grate. Another screech sounded.

**XxX**

Ashlin had temporarily resorted to the pistol, shooting holes into the squid's tentacles until she could get her sword back. Then, she reverted to the lobbing-tentacles-off tactic... until she realized that the tentacles regenerated. Still, it worked as a temporary distraction while the creature howled in pain. She took advantage of its distraction and swam back up to the grate. With the pistol pointed close to the bars, she pulled the trigger.

The bullet had less force underwater, but the previous damage allowed it to break through. She soon began to realize that constantly repeating the procedure of beating the bars with the sword, allowing her body to smack into it a few times, and shooting a bullet at it would take too long, and she was running out of air.

More tentacles snaked upward, and Ashlin moved out of the way so that a couple went through the bullet hole. The rest simply collided against the grate and knocked it out of its place. A scream emitted from somewhere above. If Ashlin did not think Yevon was a bunch of bull, she would have shouted, "Praise be to Yevon!" Instead, she smiled at Isla and swam up to the grate as the tentacles were yanked back underwater.

She threw the sword and pistol through the opening before pulling her body out of the water. Until that point, she had not realized how tired her body was, or how badly she needed air. Ashlin gulped down the air like a dehydrated man would drink water in the desert. As she pulled herself out and onto a small slab of flagstone, someone familiar shouted her name. After grabbing her weapons, she looked over her shoulder, and saw Yuna and the others standing behind a bronze gate.

Coughing, Ashlin could only remark, "Wow!"

The squid and Isla were not about to give up. Tentacles slowly crawled from beneath the depths and wandered on the surface blindly. Kimahri and Auron raised their weapons in expectance. Ashlin backed up and found her back to a wall immediately. _'This seems so clichéd.' _Some tentacles snaked toward her while the rest headed for the others. Kimahri and Auron, like Ashlin, quickly found that when they chopped off parts of the tentacles, they simply regenerated.

Lulu started for the gate and commanded the others as well as Ashlin to, "Move back." Once they did, she cast a flare spell, which exploded on the gate, destroying some of the tentacles and knocking the gate off of its hinges. It fell onto the opposite wall, and Ashlin used it to propel herself over the grate and into the corridor with the others.

"I have never missed you guys more in my whole entire life," confessed Ashlin before turning toward Lulu. "Thank you." Lulu smiled briefly. "So... where are Rikku, Wakka, and Tidus?"

"At the exit, hopefully," replied Lulu. "I suppose we'll find out."

Ashlin nodded. "I guess wherever they are, they'll be fine."

"They're strong," grunted Kimahri in agreement as Auron continued to lead them. The corridor widened, and red lights flashed on either side of it.

"I take this as a good sign," noted Lulu.

Up ahead, there was a shadow of a figure, but only one. Once they came within a few feet, they realized that the person was not Wakka, Tidus or Rikku. In fact, surprisingly enough, it was... "Isaaru! Did they lock you up, too?" asked Yuna.

Isaaru smiled sadly. He was grasping his staff so tightly that his knuckles were white. "I am afraid that it is just the opposite. I was summoned here, to this very spot, for a reason. I am... disappointed to know that you are the ones..."

"'The ones'?" echoed Yuna.

"I was ordered to 'take care of the traitors'," explained Isaaru. "I am sad to see that you are the traitors of which they spoke."

"You would fight us?" wondered Auron.

Isaaru nodded. "I am a summoner, an advocate to the people, who I must protect from any traitor even... Lord Braska's daughter. The temples' orders are law. I must do this, I apologize."

"You're alone," noticed Ashlin.

"I left my brothers back in the Calm Lands... it is for the best that they do not see me carry out this order." Isaaru nodded to himself, as if it would make the job simpler.

Ashlin shook her head. "I feel badly for you because there's no way you're going to complete your mission... Go get him Yuna!"

Yuna nodded and stepped forward with her rod held at the ready, not completely sure of what to expect. Isaaru summoned a familiar aeon, Ifrit, and she retaliated with Shiva. It seemed odd and wrong to pin the two aeons against one another but knew that there was no other choice.

**XxX**

"We're free!" shouted Rikku as they emerged from a door and found them near the Highbridge of Bevelle.

Tidus looked around. "But Yuna and the others..."

"We musta beatin' 'em out, ya?"

Rikku bit her lip. "W-what if they couldn't find an exit? What if they're trapped?"

"I never would have guessed that you three would be the first ones out," noted a high voice from somewhere on the foggy bridge. Seymour, flanked by a few Guado guardians, approached them, and they immediately became on guard. "I expect we'll see the others soon enough. Isaaru is no match for Lady Yuna. But simply standing here and waiting wouldn't be any fun, would it?"

Wakka stepped in front of Rikku and Tidus and threw his right arm to his side. "Seymour! You and the other maesters... All you do is contradict the teachings of Yevon, ya? What kind of leader does that?"

Seymour chuckled. "Contradict? We do what is necessary to preserve the teachings. If we have to bend a few rules along the way, I think it is worth it, do you not?" He watched them for a moment; none of them seemed to agree. "Ah, I understand. So, even you, a devout Yevonite would turn your back?" He added to Wakka.

"I ain't turnin' my back... I'm doing what's right!"

Seeming to sneer, Seymour replied, "Is that what your heart tells you?"

Rikku stood beside Wakka and pumped her fist into the air. "Yeah!"

"I'm afraid that I have stopped seeing the point in such a petty thing. Hearts lead you astray."

Rikku shook her head. "Hearts allow you to love, and there is nothing more powerful than love."

Seymour smirked. "And to think that most of Spira thinks the only thing Al Bheds know about love is their love of machina... I will show you where true power comes from... I will show you what true power can do!"

**XxX**

Isaaru was tiring and, admittedly, so was Yuna, though she tried not to show it. Ifrit had easily gone down with the aid of Shiva, but she had miscalculated a round with Ixion by summoning Valefor. The result had been the loss of Valefor and a reversion to Shiva. Leaning against his staff, Isaaru prepared to summon his next and final aeon. If he could not defeat Yuna with his next aeon, then he would not be able to successfully carry out his orders after all.

A bright light shone from the ceiling, and a gargantuan black beast with large red wings and a golden halo on its back crashed to the ground, breaking up the ground around them a little. Though Shiva had done well, Yuna knew that she would not last through the battle with Bahamut.

Bahamut folded his arms over his chest, staring at Shiva with boredom, even after her Diamond Dust overdrive. Even as she hurled ice ball after ice ball at him, Bahamut simply stood there and stared. _'This doesn't feel right. What's he planning?'_

Yuna found out after Shiva attacked the next turn. Bahamut did a loop-da-loop in the air and landed on the ground on all fours. Then, he stomped his hands like an angered animal as the halo on his back spun, and an energy beam shot out of his mouth, hitting Shiva and defeating her instantly. The force of the attack forced even Yuna to one knee.

"Holy..." breathed Ashlin as Bahamut stood back up and folded his arms back across his chest. "So that's why he's just standing there... He's just resting up so that he can wipe out her aeons in an instant." As Shiva became translucent once more and disappeared, Yuna found herself looking up at a seriously frightening, pissed off aeon. Trying to keep her cool, she forced herself into a standing position and called upon Ixion.

Ixion looked so small in comparison to the other aeon, but he seemed more than ready to take it on as he used Thor's Hammer against Bahamut. Once again, Bahamut barely looked concerned. He reverted to his statue-like posture for a few turns as Ixion valiantly threw electric and aero blasts at the dragon king to no avail. Eventually, he met the same end as Shiva. "Give up, Lady Yuna. There is no point for you to go on."

Yuna shook her head. "No. I won't give up that easily." She summoned her last usable aeon, Ifrit. Together, Ixion and Shiva had been enough to wear down Bahamut, and he showed signs of fatigue as he doubled-over somewhat. It made Yuna less nervous; in fact, at that moment in time, she was convinced that she had never seen anything better in her life. Ifrit hurled a few molten lava rocks at Bahamut before finishing him off with Hellfire.

Isaaru's staff clattered to the ground as he fell onto his hands and knees, and part of Yuna felt satisfied. She was not happy that she had knocked him into submission but, simply, felt confident in her own summoning ability for the first time. Yuna made to approach him, but Isaaru shook his head and shouted, "No, stay back! The door behind me will take you back to the surface, close to the highbridge. From there, you can leave Bevelle."

"T-thank you. I'm sorry it had to end this way," mumbled Yuna before bowing. Lulu gently pushed her toward the door and the two of them, along with Kimahri, left the room. Ashlin hung back with Auron, who stopped before Isaaru.

"Your pilgrimage is over."

Isaaru nodded. "I... can accept that. Will you finish me off?"

"Foolish. Simply because you would follow the orders of the temples without any logical thought does not mean I would think to end your life." Then, Auron started for the door.

Ashlin opened her mouth, and then closed it. She did not know what to say to the fallen summoner, so she exited the room, too. When she reached the surface, she found the others already outside, but not necessarily waiting for her. They were facing the opposite direction and were frighteningly still. She stood beside them and noticed four bodies lying on the ground: Wen Kinoc, Rikku, Wakka, and Tidus.

"W-what?"

"You think you have saved them?" demanded Lulu, whose eyes were flashing with anger. "How have you saved them?"

"Sin is everlasting, don't you understand?" replied Seymour with a smile that seemed out of place with his secretive tone and wide eyes. "All will face death in Spira. Regardless of Sin, we have all suffered some great loss, have we not?" His eyes stopped on each of theirs for a moment. "Death is liberating; a permanent freedom from all suffering. It brings us back to our loved ones, don't you get it? That is why, if Spira were to end... forever, then all would be freed from their sadness. It is a perfectly sensible plan."

Yuna stared at him and slowly asked, "You think that... destroying the world is a plan that makes sense?"

"But, of course. Perhaps you are too selfish to see it... Lady Yuna, we must journey to Zanarkand. Together, we can save the people of Spira. Is that not what you have wanted all this time anyway?" The right side of his lip lifted into a half-smile that bared his teeth. "Yuna, I will take your body, your soul, your power, your mind and, with all of that, I will become the next Sin. I will save Spira! I will destroy it!"

Ashlin shook her head. "And here I thought you were convinced there was no other way to defeat Sin."

"But I will not defeat Sin. I will overcome Sin! I will become Sin! And you all... will be the first to go."

Ashlin's eyes fell back to Rikku, Tidus, and Wakka's bodies before glancing at the others, who were not reacting. She caught Kimahri's eye, and he nodded. Though she did not understand immediately, it clicked and she fished out the pistol once more. With a shaking hand, she lifted it and pointed it at Seymour. "If anyone needs to be liberated from their paranoid, twisted mind, it's you."

Seymour smirked, his attention drawn to her. "Liberate me, then." In his distraction, Kimahri was able to stab him in the chest with his spear. Seymour looked down at the weapon, raised his eyebrows, and rolled his eyes. "If there was anything there to injure, I might be frightened by your weak attempts. Fine. I will grant you your deaths; you seem to desire as much. Join your friends and your family!"

* * *

**A/n: Looks like we'll be stuck in Bevelle for one more chapter. The title of this chapter is a latin phrase meaning, "Who will guard the guards themselves?" Just thought I'd use it because in order to get out of the Via Purifico "road to purification", they all have to fight guards, haha. I wanted to spice the chapter up a bit, which was why I included the Asrai, a creature from Scottish mythology & a giant squid. Hope you enjoyed!**


	17. Help is on the Way

**Chapter Sixteen:**  
Help is on the Way

**A.N: I am extremely sorry for how long it took to update... My laptop randomly crashed, so I lost a nice portion of this chapter, and school and life got in my way. Unfortunately, I also have a midterm I need to study for, so this is the only update for the weekend. After Monday, the week should be a blow off, and I'll update periodically then. :3 Again, sorry, and I hope you enjoy the chapter! **

**Disclaimer - It's been a while, so I'll put this in. I don't own Final Fantasy X!**

_'When I get to watch you burn, burn, burn._  
_Now I watch you burn, burn, burn […]_  
_You're going to get what you deserve […]_  
_I trusted you; you sold me out_  
_This is far from over, don't try to deny it; you cannot hide it.'_**  
-****"Burn" by Papa Roach**

**

* * *

**

Nothing good came from Kimahri stabbing Seymour. The maester slowly raised his staff, seemingly summoning some sort of black abyss behind him. The guards flanking him - as well as Kinoc - disappeared into pyreflies, but Rikku, Wakka and Tidus' bodies remained untouched. The pyreflies all flew into Seymour's body, the force of their power making his body shake, and Kimahri was thrown back a few steps by the impact.

Seymour's very body disappeared before their eyes for a moment before reappearing in a very different state. He was now levitating in the air with some type of board attached to his back and a mechanical, almost scorpion-like thing curled away from Seymour like a pet snake.

Ashlin stared at Seymour's new state, managing only a little, "Oh," of surprise.

"Leave now!" ordered Kimahri, who was a faster thinker. "Protect Yuna! Leave!"

Yuna's eyes widened. "Kimahri, I can't leave y-" As she spoke, there was a stirring from the piles of bodies as Rikku, Wakka, and Tidus slowly came to. For the umpteenth time that day, Yuna thought that she might faint.

Disorientated, the three looked around. "That's right, we got out of the Via Purifico!" remembered Tidus. "Then…"

"That big meanie tried to kill us!" finished Rikku as the trio stood and rounded on Seymour. They jumped, startled, at his appearance.

Ashlin almost wanted to laugh but knew there was no time. "Okay, like Kimahri said, it's time to leave. Go! Let us hold him off."

Wakka, Tidus and Rikku seemed to understand the situation quickly. Yuna looked beside herself. "But-"

"No buts! You're the most important person in this group. Without you, there is no group." Ashlin raised her index finger. "Go!"

"Wait a second," started Wakka.

Auron nodded and gestured for the rest to follow. "Come!"

Seymour was not going to give up that easily and the Mortibody moved toward the retreating group, its mechanical claws snapping back and forth. Kimahri knocked into the line connecting it to Seymour, knocking it away from the others. Yuna and the others made a prompt get away, and Kimahri and Ashlin stood side by side in front of the maester.

Kimahri was strong but, given the fact that Seymour was a major magic caster, Ashlin had her doubts about how they were faring. She made sure to keep this to herself as she said, "Seymour, give up while you still can!"

He wore a smile on his icy face for a moment before snapping. A grey light engulfed Kimahri's body and, as Ashlin had seen with Gippal, stone began to form on Kimahri's feet and slowly worked its way up to his head. The Mortibody, which had been curled around Seymour like a snake, suddenly surged into the air and aimed for Kimahri, its claws snapping. _'There's no way on Spira that could possibly mean any good...' _thought Ashlin as she watched the Mortibody move through the air. She raised her sword over Kimahri in an attempt to hinder the attack on him.

The Mortibody still went through with the attack, which surprised her quite a bit. It was even more surprising when the claws pierced through the blade as if it were no thicker than a piece of paper. Ashlin watched with a dumbfounded expression as half of her sword bounced off the floor. A feeling filled her that was reminiscent of that day in Macalania Woods three years ago. Watching the sword break was like watching Jaidan die all over again, and it definitely felt no different.

"Yes, that's right. Allow me to rescue you from your misery. I will save you!" announced Seymour. A freezing feeling replaced the torn one in Ashlin's body. It felt like something cold was forming inside of her, reaching up to her throat so that she could not speak. Then, moments later when the cold felt unbearable, it disappeared, but she felt as though millions of tiny shards of ice were stabbing throughout her body. It was almost unbearable.

The Mortibody lunged for Kimahri again.

It would be selfish to allow her own despaired feelings to stop her while Kimahri was at his most vulnerable. She ignored the stabbing feelings and ran at the mechanical object with her broken sword and swiped at it. The sword did little more than deter the Mortibody, but that was all she needed.

Further down the bridge, Yuna was seriously struggling with her conscious. While the others ran ahead of her, she finally stopped and shook her head at them. "I can't do this, I can't leave them. I have to go back."

"Guardians are supposed to lay down their lives for you," argued Auron, though he knew it would have little impact on Yuna's mind.

Tidus was already thinking of a way to contradict Auron. "Guardians are supposed to be with Yuna, always. Which means…" He flashed a brilliant grin at her. "Wherever you go, I'm there."

Yuna raised her eyebrows a little as she smiled. "R-really?"

"Absolutely."

"In that case…"

Tidus nodded. "Let's go!" He grabbed her hand and the two of them sprinted back for Ashlin, Kimahri and Seymour. No one else looked to Auron for an answer. Instead, they all ran after Tidus and Yuna and, in Wakka and Rikku's case, uttering war cries of some sort. Auron simply shook his head, a smirk slowly spreading across his lips before he joined them.

"Ashlin! Kimahri! Save some for us!" came Tidus' shouts from somewhere down the Highbridge. Though she was not a fan of putting Yuna in an extremely dangerous situation, Ashlin was beyond relieved when Yuna and Tidus, flanked by the others, returned.

"Foolishness! So you all wish for a painful freedom from your pitiful lives? Then I will be more than happy to comply!" hissed Seymour. Ashlin soon realized that the painful ice she had felt building up inside of her before was a blizzara attack, and it looked even worse (if that was possible) than it felt. Giant shards of ice rose up from each of the others in turn, and they all reacted in different but strong ways.

"You guys came back," remarked Ashlin as if she were still unable to believe the words.

"We couldn't leave you and Kimahri behind. We're a team," decided Yuna.

Tidus nodded, his eyes moving from the stone statue that was Kimahri and Ashlin's broken sword. "Wow, it looks like we came back just in time!"

"You could say that," she agreed before looking down at her half blade. "My sword. My poor, poor sword." Yuna cast a quick spell and the stone casing around Kimahri cracked and fell to the ground. He looked around with a perplexed (or, at the very least, as perplexed as a Ronso could get) expression and released some sort of impatient growl at the sight of Yuna. "Sorry," apologized Ashlin, "but I couldn't possibly do this on my own."

Rikku jumped up and down. "That's right! United we stand 'cause divided we fail."

"I think you mean 'fall', Rikku," pointed out Yuna.

Rikku waved off her cousin. "Same difference!"

"Looks like Seymour's picked up a few tricks since last time, ya?" remarked Wakka as he rubbed his abdomen.

Rikku pumped her fist into the air. "He's still not better than Lulu!"

"Seymour, Kinoc was not the man I knew ten years ago, but he was still my friend. I will avenge him!"

Seymour touched his chest. "That is very touching... so I promise to unite the both of you... in death!" A thundara spell cracked through the air, causing Rikku to jump, and hurled toward Auron, but Yuna was prepared. Something golden-colored fell over him like a barrier, and the thundara spell was promptly reflected back at Seymour. The Mortibody rose up and took the attack instead. As soon as that happened, it drew health from its master.

Ashlin tapped the side of her face. "Hmm, I think I have an idea..."

"Attack the Mortibody and make it suck health from Seymour?" wondered Tidus with a wide grin.

"Strategy," noticed Lulu with feigned shock. "He can be taught."

**(A/n: As usual, nothing differs between this and the regular fight, so...)**

**XxX**

Macalania Woods had always seemed sobering and soothing but as they ran out of Bevelle and searched for a safe place, it seemed anything but. Yuna was tired and her faith, which had been slowly chipping away, was shattered and, despite her fatigue, she needed to think about that. Auron scouted on ahead and found a place for them to rest. Now, they were all giant targets for any Yevonite to take out.

As they stood in the woods, Ashlin leaned into Yuna's ear and pointed to a path across from their campsite. "There's a spring right there, you know."

Yuna did not seem to understand at first, but it clicked about a moment later. She smiled briefly and mumbled a thank you. Then, she raised her voice and announced, "I... need to be alone for a while and think. Kimahri?" The Ronso was already moving down the path that Ashlin had pointed out. Then, Yuna followed behind him and the two disappeared.

Tidus thought of following her; it was obvious in his face. He thought better of it and followed the others to the camp. Ashlin found herself feeling out of place so, once everyone else went to rest, she turned tail and returned to the place she knew she needed to visit. While Ashlin disappeared, Rikku decided, maybe against better judgement, to speak with her cousin. The spring was beautiful, a thin path, at first, surrounded by thick trees before opening up to a huge area of water. She passed Kimahri, who acknowledged her presence with a nod, and stopped beside Yuna, who was sitting near the water's edge. "Yunie?"

Yuna turned her head. Her eyes were dry, but they were shimmering as if she was unsure of whether or not to let the tears fall. She wiped her eyes on her sleeves too late as Rikku had already taken notice. "Rikku, is something wrong?"

"I… I don't want to bother you, Yunie, but I thought you might need someone to talk to." She sat down beside her cousin, being kind enough not to point out the unfallen tears. "Yunie, now that all of… this has happened, aren't you going to give up your pilgrimage?"

Yuna was no longer looking at her. Her eyes seemed to be focusing on something in the distance. "Rikku, I don't want to talk about this right now. I need time by myself to think about this." Her voice was surprisingly monotone; Rikku didn't like it.

Rikku also didn't take very well to being told no, either. She flung herself on her stomach and forearms in order to get Yuna to look at her. "Yunie, please, hear me out. It's so dangerous. It's an unnecessary risk, actually! Why risk your life? All… all of Spira's mad at us, anyway! Those nasty Yevonites don't deserve your sacrifice!"

"Rikku—"

"You could be happy! You could run off with Tidus somewhere and live with him. You could _marry _him. Forget everything else!"

"Until Sin kills more innocent people," replied Yuna with a nod. "I'm not willing to allow that, Rikku. This isn't about Yevon; this is about all of those innocent lives. I want to try to save more people from loss. I accepted what would happen to me a long time ago. There's nothing more to this, Rikku."

Rikku could tell that Yuna was beginning to ice her out. "Yunie-!"

"Please, just let me have some time to myself. _Please_."

Coming to terms with the fact that she wasn't going to get through to her cousin, Rikku slowly stood and silently walked off. With her gone, Yuna was less ashamed to let the tears burn her eyes and slide down her face. She realized what Rikku _hadn't_ said: that all of Spira hated her.

**XxX**

The small spring was not terribly far away, and Ashlin did not stumble upon too many fiends on her way. At least, she did not find very strong ones.

At last, she found the now-cleared pathway, and slunk into the area. She walked over to the bulky tree and sat in the water before it. "This feels weird and eerie, but I guess it's a necessary evil. I don't know what's going to happen from here on out. There's a really good chance that Yuna's going to give up her pilgrimage, and that would be okay. But, if there's anything I've learned from this experience, it's that I need closure. I really, really need to move on Jai, Ai." It was almost strange to speak as if Jaidan and Aimee were sitting there and listening, but it mostly felt like second nature. Ashlin could easily pretend they were beyond the waterfall, catching fish or searching for wood, like they had when they all lived there.

"I miss you guys every day. It might be cliché, but I literally feel like something's missing from my heart. But I have new problems now, like my father. I think I have some pretty good friends, and they'll take care of me if I need it. Mostly, what I realize is that I've changed. It's sort of nice to be around Rikku... she reminds me of how I used to be. So, that's it. I'm going to let you guys go now." Once she said it, her heart felt increments lighter, and Ashlin slowly pushed herself into a standing position.

"Go figure that you'd come here. It's a bit morbid, though, no?" inquired a female voice which belonged to none of the women in their group. When Ashlin turned around, she was shocked to see a teenager of the same age as her standing a ways away in the water. She was tall, more so than Ashlin, and had long, light brown hair with blue eyes. She wore a pair of puffy blue pants, black boots, and a brown vest over a long sleeved white shirt. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and a cruel smirk was playing on her lips.

Ashlin jumped, splashing around water in the process, and charged at the girl. All earlier discussions about her deceased friend had been lost on her in the moment of seeing her. "Aimee!"

Admittedly, she hadn't believed Barett's words about Aimee returning to him, but now that she had her arms around the girl, she wasn't so sure what to think. Aimee felt real and warm; maybe - and this thought horrified her - she had left her best friend for dead without knowing it.

There was a tug at her hip before Aimee stepped back and threw the pistol up and down in her hand. "You stole my weapon." Her face was blank, and her tone carried no type of surprise.

"I wanted to have some of you and Jaidan with me," Ashlin admitted as she tapped at her side, where the broken sword sat. "I thought, maybe, if I ever came face to face with Sin and killed it… you guys would appreciate it, like you were there with me."

Aimee laughed and climbed atop a flat, crystalline structure. "You could never kill Sin." Her tone was insulting.

"Thank for that vote of confidence, Ai," mumbled Ashlin, stung. "You're with your father now?"

Aimee nodded. "Sure, after you left us lying there, dying, what else was I supposed to do? You took our weapons; you _abandoned _us, Ash."

"Jaidan _told _me to leave before that Chimera came back. I waited until your eyes closed, until I was sure… I was _so _sure! That fiend, it killed you."

Aimee threw her arms out. "Then, how am I standing here?"

"I must be dreaming. I've seen Jaidan in my dreams looking as real as you," decided Ashlin as she pinched her arm. Nothing changed. A small voice in her mind reminded her that Jaidan had never been calloused toward her in her dreams, and Aimee was being far from friendly. "What's going on?"

Aimee, moving at a ridiculous speed, violated Ashlin's personal space in a second. "You just can't own up to the fact that you left Jaidan and me for dead. You must have wanted us to die, taking our weapons like you did."

"I just wanted…"

"You had a piece of me, or did you forget?" Her hand reached out and yanked the filthy, blood-covered ribbon out of Ashlin's hair. "This. I bought you this for your birthday, but you forgot, huh? Did you forget why Jaidan had to come to my rescue? This stupid machina _jammed _on me; the Chimera was able to get at me while I tried to fix it." Aimee took a few steps backwards as she raised the pistol. "Now, it'll be the cause of your death, too."

**XxX**

"I hope Yunie's okay," mumbled Rikku as she and Auron walked through the forest. After her short-lived, unsuccessful conversation with Yuna, Rikku had decided she needed a long walk to clear the memory out of her mind. Along with the memory of Seymour repeatedly striking her, Tidus, and Wakka down with his thunder spells. Because of the chaos in Bevelle, Auron had been forced to go with her for safety reasons. They were, at the same time, sort of on the lookout for Ashlin.

"The truths that we witnessed were difficult ones but Yuna is strong. She will recover."

Rikku nodded as she stared up into the sky. "I… kinda don't want her to, you know? If she does, then she'll keep going on with the pilgrimage. I don't know if I can handle that."

"Perhaps it wasn't the wisest choice to join her."

"It was," argued Rikku. "Even if I can't stop Yunie, I'll stay by her side until the very end, no matter what." Auron said nothing to this as Rikku gazed into the distance. He was staring at her and, while his eyes showed nothing, he seemed almost in awe (in his own special way) of her resolve and strength.

Abruptly, the quiet air was pierced with the sound of gunshots. Rikku glanced at Auron briefly before they ran in the direction of the sounds. He led the way through the small path where they found Aimee and Ashlin, who was crouching in the water with blood running down her arms. "Too? Ah, but I thought… You said…"

"I lied. What are you, stupid? You know I'm not alive anymore, you dolt. Don't you even remember seeing me before?" snarled Aimee.

Ashlin forced herself to remember what Aimee was talking about. It was hard to go anywhere past the past day, but she forced her mind to remember and… it came to her: their original trek through Macalania Woods on their way to the temple. A cloaked figure had come up to her, harassed her, and shot at her. "That was you. Of _course _that was you. It's almost amazing that I didn't figure it out sooner."

"It's not. You were never the brightest."

Ashlin scowled, clutching at her shoulder. "You _shot_ me. Why, Aimee? What is this?"

Rikku moved to surge forward but Auron flung out his arm. "Lulu says that the dead envy the living and when the envy turns to hatred, they become fiends."

Aimee nodded as she acknowledged her new audience, turning toward them with the gun raised. "You're right," she agreed with Rikku. "But I'm no fiend. No one would have Sent my brother or I because of our association with this," she gestured to Ashlin.

"You're wrong. I saw Jaidan at the Farplane," mumbled Ashlin.

"_What_?" Her tone was harsh as she turned back toward her once best friend. She had always been curious about Jaidan's disappearance, of course, but she thought maybe he had just disappeared off to another part of Spira.

"And you're an unsent, Auron was right." The words were painful for Ashlin to say, but she knew they must have been true; Aimee had never been so hateful in her life.

"An unsent, one who has resisted transforming into a fiend because of unfinished business. Tell me, what is your business?"

Aimee stared at Auron. "I know you, don't I? One of the men who saved me from death. To think a total stranger would do that…" She returned her gaze to Ashlin. "And not even my own sister." The gun went off again, but it missed and struck the crystallized tree.

"Ah, I understand," said Auron. "It is revenge."

"Call it what you want. I'd like to call it some meane's trying to kill my friend!" Rikku ducked under Auron's arm and knocked Aimee to the ground. The gun went off again, but it missed. Rikku knocked it out of Aimee's hand and pinned her to the ground.

"Kill her," ordered Auron. Rikku was hesitant about killing anyone, but she could easily reason out that Aimee was no longer a person. And, aside from that, if she did not, then Aimee would simply shoot them all dead. With a nod, Rikku made to do so, but she was stopped by Ashlin.

Shaking her head, she cried, "No! Don't! She's my… best friend."

Rikku hesitated, her claw hovering above the unsent's throat. "She's nothing other than a mean spirit now, Ash." Then, she raked the claw over Aimee's throat, and everything was over.

Ashlin wanted to be sensible about it, but she was having a difficult time. She was supposed to have died in the Via Purifico. Had that happened, she would not just have witnessed Aimee's death for the second time. Rikku ran to her side and examined the many bullet wounds. They weren't too deep, but they needed to be tended to. Unfortunately, Rikku could do nothing about the mental damage it had inflicted upon Ashlin. "Auron, I need some bandages, can you go see if one of the others have some?" requested Rikku. Auron nodded and started to leave.

"Um, I… could you not mention this to anyone? There are more important things to think about right now," mumbled an abashed Ashlin.

"As you wish," was all he said before disappearing.

Once he was gone, Ashlin pulled off her shirt so that Rikku could examine the damage. "You okay?" Rikku knew it was a silly question; clearly Ashlin was in no way alright.

"Back in Bevelle, someone visited me," began Ashlin very softly. "Aimee and Jaidan's father. He told me that Aimee was alive and living with him. That Aimee had told him I had killed Jaidan and attempted to do the same to her. Even before that, the last time we were here, while you all were fighting that fiend, someone came behind me. She was dressed in a cloak, so I couldn't tell who she was, and she started to say all of these horrible things. Somehow, she knew about the gun and sword not being my own. I didn't get it at the time, but maybe I should have. Of course, it was Aimee. She wants to destroy me the way I destroyed her because I was the cause of her death." She winced as Rikku put something on her wounds. "When the Chimera came after her three years ago, I didn't know what to do because I didn't think I was strong enough to fight one. Then, the stupid machine," she gestured loosely to the gun, "jammed on her. In her distraction, the Chimera struck her down. Jaidan came running when he heard her screaming, and he rushed to fight it even though he wasn't very good with Chimeras, either. Me? I just watched them die. Then, I took their things and ran off. Aimee was right; I'm a horrible person."

For once, Rikku didn't know what to say. An "I'm sorry" didn't seem to be nearly sufficient enough. "You are _not _a horrible person. I know that once you joined Yunie's pilgrimage, you hit it off with Tidus because he doesn't understand the discrimination against us. And you were nice to him and tried to help him be with Yunie. You even tried to help Yunie the moment you joined. That's not a horrible person."

"I joined for all the wrong reasons. I joined to get away and to have a distraction."

"It doesn't matter what your motivation was. It matters what you did." Ashlin had never seen such a somber Rikku before. In the wake of Bevelle's events, she could see why.

"Thank you."

* * *

**Note: Phew, I've had that last part written for quite a few months, so it's nice to finally have it done. Now, with that, we can actually get to some other character development (including, of course, Yuna/Tidus fluff). Sorry about the shortness, until the next chapter~**


	18. The Moment

**Chapter Seventeen:**  
The Moment

**Note: Thank you for your reviews! I was so afraid that I would lose you guys after that huge break, so I really appreciate it. :D For this chapter, I took the liberty to put in the lyrics (along with the translation from anime lyrics dot com) from Suteki da Ne. Enjoy!**

'_Kaze wa tomari kotoba wa yasashii maboroshi (The wind, its halting words are a gentle illusion)._

_kumo wa yabure ashita wa tooku no koe (The clouds, the broken future like a distant voice)[...]_

_Sono kao, sotto furete, asa ni tokeru (That face, a soft touch)_

_Asa ni tokeru, yumemiru (Dissolving into morning, I dream).'_

**-"Suteki da ne" by Rikki  


* * *

**

Tidus was sitting very still – the most still Lulu had ever seen him – in their campsite. She caught Wakka's eye, a knowing look on his face. Lulu knew that she would have to let go of every reservation she'd had before the events that occurred in Bevelle; everything was different, and Tidus now knew the truth anyway. It still didn't seem to change anything. "Perhaps Yuna would like to see you."

He seemed surprised that she was speaking to him. "Me? She didn't even want to talk to Rikku, why would she…?"

"You're different, and you know it."

"Besides," began Wakka sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "Rikku can be a little pushy, ya?" Everyone could admit, though not aloud, that the statement was not wrong.

"But what do I say to hear?"

Lulu raised her eyebrows. "You've always seemed to know what to say before."

Tidus took this as something of encouragement as he stood and started for the spring area.

**XxX**

Once Auron returned with the bandages, Rikku wrapped the majority of them around Ashlin's wounds to hinder infection, just until they could get to a shop or something with some type of potions. "There," said Rikku as she sat back on her feet and rubbed her forehead. "That looks good."

Ashlin glanced down at her shoulders, covered in the bandages. "At least I'll be a little warmer."

"You're welcome," chirped Rikku as she stood, holding out a hand to help up the other girl at the same time.

"If I said I wanted to go back on my own—"

"Auron would hit you with the hilt of his sword and drag you back to camp," answered Rikku, still too cheerful. A smirk appeared on the guardian in question's lips.

Ashlin pursed her lips. "Listen, I promise I'll be careful. I just need a few moments."

"We'll wait for you outside," said Auron.

"You should go check on Yuna, anyway. That's what good guardians would do." Ashlin gestured to her wrapped wounds. "Listen, I'm going to be just fine now. I'll be right behind you."

Auron seemed to shrug a little. "If that is what you wish. Come, Rikku."

"Auron!" she protested, surprised.

He simply walked off. "Let's go." With one last concerned glance sent over her shoulder, Rikku followed Auron out of the area.

Ashlin eyed the ugly blue-green ribbon, which was laying on the ground where Aimee had been laying before Rikku—She forced the thought out of her head as she walked over and picked it up. The ribbon had always been a wonderful sign before and, somehow, it had never seemed to get too dirty over the years. Only since Ashlin had joined the pilgrimage had it become covered in filth. Maybe it wasn't just time to _say _that she had let go of the past… She walked back over to the tree, pausing before the water.

In her hand, she held the ribbon as well as part of the crystalline rock that Aimee had been standing on. She tied the ribbon around the rock quickly and dropped it into the water, watching it as it slowly disappeared beneath the surface. "My business is over," she announced to no one in particular before starting back to camp.

Feeling extremely fortunate that she encountered absolutely no fiends on her way back, Ashlin returned to the enclosed area to find everyone but Tidus, Yuna, and Kimahri. Rikku was standing in a corner and looked back at her over her shoulder. "Ooh, I was wondering when you would get back!" The sentence made Ashlin realize that she must have been staring into the water longer than she had thought. "I have something for you."

Curiosity got the best of Ashlin as she moved to join the other girl. "For me? What?"

Rikku turned around, a grin on her face. "Close your eyes and hold out your hands." Ashlin complied and, after a moment, felt something heavy in her hands. "Open them!" Feeling nothing short of shock as she stared at the perfect-looking blade in her hand, she looked up at Rikku with a blank face and wide open mouth. "I fixed the sword!"

Finally finding her words, she asked, "How?"

"Well," she drew out the end of the word much longer than necessary. "You know how I can do some alchemy? I mix a bunch of things together to create a certain effect? That's what I did. I welded it with a bunch of items that I threw together. You should let it set before you use it, so I wouldn't recommend running off again anytime soon," she added with a wink.

Ashlin was still pleasantly surprised and gently placed the sword on the ground before throwing her arms around Rikku's neck. "You _really _are the best."

**XxX**

Upon reaching the spring, Tidus immediately found Kimahri, who looked him up and down. "Kimahri?"

"Yuna there," he gestured behind him. Tidus walked away from Kimahri and found the trees on other side of him disappeared in order to open up to the large spring. At first, he couldn't find Yuna, then, he spotted her form standing in the middle of the water, facing away from him.

However, she must have been aware of his presence, because she began to talk. "I never thought that this would be easy. There's no way it would be, but I never expected it to be so… hard. Everything that has happened… It seems like anything that could go wrong _did._ Yet, in the beginning, we were stronger for it. Nothing ever got too bad. Even when we fought the Chocobo Eater, it turned out alright. Then, all of a sudden, it all started to turn…"

"It's not your fault, Yuna. It's Seymour's."

Yuna simply shook her head. "I wish that I could put it all on him, but I can't. I was naïve; I've made poor choices." Her voice was almost a whisper. "And everyone had to pay for them. I was just trying to do what I thought would work, what I thought was right…"

"Then, you have nothing to apologize for! You did what you thought was right!"  
"But I _wasn't _right," she argued, raising her voice a little. "And we all have to pay for my mistakes now. I've been trying so hard; I thought that with all of the guardians – no, with all of the friends I had – that I would be alright."

It was Tidus' turn to shake his head. "You're alright. We won't ever let anything like that happen to you again. Maybe you've been pushing yourself too hard, Yuna… Yuna, I know—"

"I know," she replied, surprising him. "Ashlin told me that you had found out."

"Well, I… I just wanted to say I was sorry. Every time I mentioned us going back somewhere after your pilgrimage was over, talking about bringing down Sin… I must have made you sad, so I'm really, really sor—"

"—You didn't make me sad." Tidus seemed surprised by this, too. "I was happy, so happy that you wanted to be with me even after the pilgrimage. You could never make me sad." Yuna turned around as the water splashed and found herself face to face with Tidus. She stared into his eyes, which were understanding and, maybe, a little confused. They always seemed a little confused, she thought with a faint smile. It was charming.

Tidus didn't want to be pushy as he knew Rikku had been, so he decided to take a different approach then her. "Maybe you should stop."

"The pilgrimage." It wasn't a question, for she knew what he was saying.

"Yeah. I know that Rikku said something to you about it, but just think about it… You wouldn't have to worry about being a summoner anymore or anything. You could go back to Besaid and be normal."

There was a small smile on Yuna's face. "Maybe I will."

"Really?"

The smile got a little bigger. "Sure, wouldn't everyone be so surprised?"

"Rikku might cry from the joy of it," mumbled Tidus. "Ashlin and Kimahri would be behind you completely. I'm sure Lulu and Wakka wouldn't even mind!"

Yuna bit her lip as the smile faded. "Sir Auron…"

"I would _make _him understand, Yuna. He'd have to, after everything that's happened!"

"Thank you." The smile reappeared for a moment. "But I would have to do it. He deserves it." Tidus didn't enjoy the fact that they were speaking as if Yuna giving up her pilgrimage was an impossible task. Isaaru's pilgrimage was over, as was Dona's, he had heard. Could Yuna actually give up her pilgrimage?

Yuna began to float on her back and stare up at the starry sky while Tidus watched her. "What would I do… if I were to give it up?"

"You could come with me." He said it softly at first but, when she stood back up and stared at him, he continued, "Yeah, you could! We would go back to my Zanarkand, everyone! That would be great for everyone. We could all move into my place… Well, okay, maybe not, it's not _that _big, but we could have a party there! It would be great, Yuna!"

A true grin was on her face now. "I could watch you play Bliztball!"

Tidus pumped his fist into the air. "Yeah, you would be my good luck charm!"

"All of us could watch you, and we would cheer until we didn't have voices. Except for Kimahri and Sir Auron, of course. I'm sure even Lulu would be tempted to cheer for you!"

"After the games, we could go out and just stay out all night."

"But the games are played at night, aren't they?"

Tidus nodded. "Sure, but that's no problem. Zanarkand never sleeps! We wouldn't have to sleep until we were exhausted, then we'd do it all over the next day. Even better than going out, we could go out to the ocean and watch the sunrise. The way all of the colors spread out from behind the water and slowly stretch into the sky… you would love it, I know it."

Yuna nodded, the grin slowly disappeared. "I'd… like to see it someday."

"We _can _Yuna, both of us, together!" Then, she was shaking her head again. A few teardrops hit the water's surface. "Yuna?"

"I can't… just turn my back on this pilgrimage, Tidus," she whispered. Louder, she continued, "I can't!" Tears slid down her face and hit the water more rapidly, and Tidus slowly put his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him, her tears sliding through the grime on her face.

The next thing she knew, he was lowering his head to hers, his lips softly brushing against hers. Suddenly, Yuna realized she had never wanted anything more in her life. The tears stopped falling as she earnestly returned the kiss. Their bodies disappeared below the surface as they embraced, never breaking apart, and clutched each other's hands like they were the last anchors to the world. When they finally broke apart enough for them to face each other at arm's length, Yuna placed her hand on Tidus' cheek while his hand gently touched the small of her back. Looking into his eyes, she realized it was both difficult and simple to be happy, but she was having a hard time making her decision.

_'__Wherever you go, I'm there.' _Hadn't Tidus said that back in Bevelle? If he meant it, then she had nothing left to worry about… except the obvious. Her lips found his once more as they embraced and remained submerged for a few more moments. She realized that the moment was too perfect to ruin with thoughts of what was ahead.

Once they finally broke to the surface, Tidus kept his hand on hers and led them to the surface, helping her out. They sat side by side with their legs submerged in the water as they stared into a distant part of the spring. "My pilgrimage will go on. I can't end it, not now. We've come too far." She forced her eyes to look into Tidus'. "I could walk away and have everything I wanted with you, but… I would always regret giving up."

"I know." And, somehow, he felt like he had always known that Yuna would make this decision. "But I promise I'll stay by your side, Yuna. Like I said, guardians are supposed to be with you, always. Unless what just happened means I'm kinda done for?"

Yuna mustered a small smile and laugh. "No, please. I want you to stay with me until it's all over. Until the end."

"Not the end, Yuna. Always. Wherever you go, I'm there. Forever." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. All of a sudden, he hit his forehead. "I almost forgot, this…" He dug into his pocket, retrieving the necklace that Ashlin had given to him at the Moonflow. "…is for you."

Yuna stared at it with wide eyes. "A necklace? For me? Tidus, you—"

"Want me to help you put it on?"

She nodded. "Yes, please." He took the necklace into both hands and leaned over her shoulder a little before clasping the necklace. Her hand immediately brushed against the silver as a smile touched her face. Ashlin's words, _'Give it to Yuna… at an opportune moment or something,' _rang in his head. "Thank you."

Tidus grinned in response, though it slowly faded as a nervous expression replaced it. "Should we, uh, go back?"

"Yes, but… maybe you should go first." They didn't want it to seem too suspicious, after all, did they? Tidus agreed, begrudgingly releasing his hand from hers, and stood to leave. He noticed that Kimahri was no longer in the area.

Glancing back at her, he said, "Uh… Do you think Kimahri left before, uh…?" His cheeks were slowly turning rose red.

With a giggle, Yuna shrugged, then also stood. "You know, I think we should go back together, after all. The way it's supposed to be." She held out her hand, and he immediately took it into his own before they returned to camp. Everyone was waiting there when they returned, even Ashlin, whose upper body was covered in bandages. The hand-holding went amiss by no one, and they all wore expectant stares as they stood. "Sir Auron, Kimahri, Wakka, Lulu, Rikku, Ashlin… We'll set off for the Calm Lands in the morning." After a moment's hesitation, she added, "I'm so sorry about everything, I—"

Auron cut her off. "Enough, you need rest."

Yuna nodded. "Yes, you're right. Goodnight, everyone."

"I'll take watch," reported Auron before sitting near the exit while everyone else picked a place to sleep on a rock or tree limb. No one said anything, simply accepting the events of the day. Rikku climbed up to a high tree branch, hanging just over where Ashlin lay on the ground. As much as she wished otherwise, Ashlin knew that sleep would not come to her as she stared up at Rikku's still form. The pistol – which, in reality, she should no longer be carrying – was pushing uncomfortably into her back, but she thought it was a half decent reminder. After a few hours of staring and coming to the conclusion that Rikku was not going to wake up, Ashlin turned onto her side in order to stare at the newly repaired sword. Somehow, it still managed to have the small, dirty white ribbon wrapped around it, but, she realized, it was not even a half-decent replacement for her blue-green one.

For a few moments, she entertained the thought of leaving Yuna's group and going off to who knows where. Of course, she quickly remembered that, if she had not been attention-grabbing before, she would be now since she and the others had, once again, destroyed Seymour. There was no reason _not _to go with Yuna. After all, what did she have to return to except, likely, the Via Purifico and that lovely giant squid? With a quiet sigh, Ashlin slowly allowed her eyes to close and eventually drifted off to sleep.

Rikku leaned over the thick branch just enough to get a look at the Al Bhed down below. She could no longer feel Ashlin's eyes burning into her back, so she assumed that she was finally asleep. Unfortunately, she was quite aware that she would not be able to sleep, so Rikku carefully climbed off of the branch, landing lightly before Ashlin's already deep-slumbering form. She knew there was absolutely no chance that Auron was asleep, so she walked over to where he was seated and sat directly beside him. He did not question her presence, simply acknowledging it with a nod.

But Rikku was Rikku, and Rikku hated silence. "I can't stop thinking about it, you know? This day was just a whirlwind…. It's hard to piece everything together, but I'm pretty sure I lost Home, nearly lost Yunie, nearly lost my own life, and nearly lost Ash all in one day. That's too much losing." He said nothing, but she did not expect him to. Instead, she held out her hand, still wearing the claw. There was no blood on it, of course, since Aimee had not been a living, breathing thing. Yet, Rikku felt that the blood _should _have been there. "And I can't stop thinking about what happened back in the woods. That girl could have killed all of us! And then I killed her, and Ash looked so… So…"

"Lost?" suggested Auron.

"Yeah. She really _is _all alone, you know? I still have Brother, my father, and the other Al Bhed… I have Yunie, too, but not for much longer, though…" she added in a quieter voice. "I feel so bad for both of them."

Auron decided that Rikku was looking for guidance of some sort. "Ashlin is not alone."

"She's not?" she asked, surprised, as she stared at him. "Her big meanie of a father doesn't count—"

"I wasn't referring to him. I was referring to you, Tidus, Yuna, and all of the others. Even I."

Rikku took a moment to think this over. "I think I get what you're saying. None of us are really alone… because we all have each other?" He was no longer staring at her but nodded his agreement. "That's so _deep_, coming from you!"

Auron almost snorted. "You seem surprised."

"Well, you're not exactly a very emotional guy!" she replied, a grin on her face. The grin slowly disappeared. "But, Yunie…"

"Yuna's made her decision."

"That doesn't make anything any better!"

Auron glanced at her once more. "I thought you once told me that you would accept any decision she would make?"

"Well, yeah… But, I thought she would give up after all this! I just reunited with her, I can't imagine losing her so soon…"

"Yuna's outlook is not quite so bright. Though she has decided to continue her pilgrimage, her faith is still shattered. It's not going to be easy. As her guardian – as her cousin – you must show support for her. You must be strong."

Rikku hated to admit that he was right, but she knew that he was. "Tidus and Ash and I will find another way."

"Another way?"

"There _has _to be another way. How can't there be?"

"That's very positive thinking."

"It's more than that, it's realistic," decided Rikku. "We just have to figure out a way…" Auron did not want to upset her – though he refused to question why – and instead settled for a simple grunt. Rikku looked over at him with a sad smile. "You don't think we can, but I _know _it. We'll figure something out before we reach the top of Mt. Gagazet, you can't count on that!" After what seemed like hours, Rikku finally drifted off to sleep, her knees pulled up to her chest. She stayed in that position for a while, until her body fell over to the right side, her head resting on Auron's arm. He had more than a few thoughts to push her away but, after a moment of deliberation, he decided that there was no harm done.

**XxX**

Fortunately, Ashlin was the first to rise, having slept poorly the entire night. She stood and stretched before deciding to make a quick trip to the spring to freshen up.

Though Auron's gaze was set straight ahead of him, she knew that he noticed her and, more than that, he knew that she noticed the Al Bhed resting on his arm. "Good morning," she began, tentatively. He said nothing, and she simply smiled. "It's none of my business, of course, though I _am _smarter than I look. Seeing as how you've kept my secret safe, and, you know, saved my life, I won't tell a soul." Knowing Rikku was deep in sleep by now, Ashlin half-dragged, half-walked Rikku over to where she had been sleeping beneath the tree branch and set her down. All Rikku did was roll over. When Ashlin stopped in front of Auron, she said, "For both of your sake's, I imagine." Still, he remained perfectly quiet as she left, not even asking where she was going.

By the time Ashlin returned, everyone but Rikku was awake. Yuna bent over and lightly prodded her cousin to no avail, so Tidus tested out his newly-gained magical abilities and cast a water spell over her; Rikku sprang up immediately and looked around for the source, scowling at Tidus. "Aw, you big meanie! I'm so tired!" She dragged out the 'I' much longer than was necessary.

"We have a long way to go, through the Calm Lands and, at least, to the summit of Mt. Gagazet. We can't afford to rest any longer," said Lulu, back to her no-nonsense self. Pouting, Rikku followed at the rear of the group begrudgingly.

The walk out of the woods did not take very long. In fact, very abruptly, the crystals disappeared from their surroundings as a warm breeze welcomed them to a much more open area. The Calm Lands, though not as large as Ashlin remembered them, were still very large and seemed even more intricate. The grassy fields were filled with rifts with high canyon walls surrounding them on every side but the northwest. Ashlin inhaled the crisp air deeply. In a very strange way, she felt like she was… home. She even felt calm, which made sense as the Calm Lands were really like the calm before the storm. Though she'd never been farther than them, she knew that they were the last nice area. From here, all they would see was snow and ruins… and the end of their summoner.

Yuna suddenly dropped to the ground and, at first, she felt concerned. Then, she realized that she was only relishing in the beautiful scenery. She spread out her arms as if she might make a snow angel as she stared up at the bright sky. Tidus did the same beside her, and no one said, "Stop playing around, we have a pilgrimage to end."

…Which is why Ashlin did not feel like she was misbehaving when Rikku grabbed her wrist and they began to run around in the open field. Ashlin had a movement of déjà vu, but quickly recalled that she was seventeen now and both she and the friend she was running around with had weapons. Yet, they still acted like children. She watched as Rikku spun in circles until she collapsed, and Ashlin laughed so hard that there was a stitch in her side. The Chocobos made sure to stay well away from them, though Ashlin would have really preferred to chase after and ride one.

Ashlin understood the other girl's actions perfectly: all of Rikku's nerves had peaked and turned into a ton of nervous energy, which she needed to burn off. _'Better here than on the mountain,' _she thought with a grin as Rikku remained on the ground. They rejoined the group promptly and they stopped off at one of Rin's shops because there supplies were seriously low. And, in all realness, it was likely their final chance to get anything. Eventually, Rikku disappeared from her side and walked off to speak with Tidus. She had no idea what they were talking about, but she guessed by the low voices that it was something very important – like finding a way to save Yuna's life.

A man dressed in green robes chose that moment to approach their summoner, who was standing by her lonesome while the others purchased items. Ashlin immediately thought of Shelinda – and, therefore, Yevon – and quickly stood beside Yuna. Lulu, Wakka and Kimahri joined them.

"Lady Yuna?" questioned the man, and Yuna nodded her acknowledgement. "I come here by order of Maester Mika. He has ordered that anyone who finds you and your guardians is to kill you on the spot."

The sound of Ashlin's newly repaired sword sliding out of its scabbard echoed in the silence that followed. "For what reason?"

"Treason, and the murder of Maester Kinoc." Yuna gasped, covering her mouth, and Ashlin felt that she could not believe her ears.

Wakka stomped his foot. "_What_? We didn't kill him!"

Auron chuckled dryly. "Yevon… always needs to place the blame on someone else."

"Are you going through with the order?" asked Lulu. Her tone did not change, nor did her eyes, but she clutched her moogle a little tighter.

"My lady, will you continue your pilgrimage?"

Yuna nodded. "Yes. It's my duty."

The man stared at her with disbelief clearly on his face. "You would… continue despite being known as a traitor to Yevonites?" Another nod from her. "In that case…" He did the prayer bow. "I shall not follow the orders. You are a most amazing, selfless summoner, my lady. I wish you nothing but the best."

Yuna bowed in return. "I thank you."

"How are things in Bevelle?" questioned Lulu.

"They are attempting to make all look calm on the outside, but things are not well. Upon hearing of Maester Kinoc's death, Kelk Ronso left."

This seemed to be pleasing news to Auron. "It should be easier to get around with Yevon in pieces."

Ashlin did not think this was quite so good. "But Kelk Ronso is a Ronso… Won't he be waiting for us on the mountain?"

"It will be most dangerous," agreed the man. "The mountain is a very sacred place; they are likely awaiting your arrival. Be safe, my friends."

"As should you, Father Zuke," replied Lulu with a bow. With a final bow, the man retreated.

Tidus stared at Lulu. "Did you, uh, know him?"

"Yes. Wakka and I were his guardians."

"He was a summoner, too?" Tidus immediately became excited. "But he's a—"

"It was a short journey, ya?" replied Wakka in return.

Rikku tilted her head to the side. "Huh?"

"He gave up here, in the Calm Lands, and that was that," replied Lulu. "This is my third time as a guardian."

"So, what happened to your other summoner?" pried Ashlin.

Lulu seemed hesitant at her question. "My first journey as a guardian also ended here."

Sensing trouble, Wakka said, if not a little loudly, "We should get going, ya?"

Ashlin tapped the side of her face with her index finger. "Hmm, you know, I think I remember something. I could be wrong, but I can swear that I remember hearing about another aeon in this area."

Everyone looked at Auron, but it was Lulu who answered. "There is another… in the valley further up ahead. What do you think, Yuna?"

Yuna nodded. "Like my guardians… the more, the merrier, right?" Lulu and Auron led the group through the Calm Lands, toward an area in the northeast. As they were crossing the lands, something approached them from a darker part of the area. Rikku was the first to noticed, her eyes fixated on it.

"That's a really big fiend," she remarked, grabbing everyone's attention and forcing them to stop. "Ooh, there's two more joining it!" They all looked in the direction she was referring to where three large, almost leopard-looking creatures were running at them at top speed. Their sharp claws tore up the grass on their way.

Ashlin drew out her sword again. "Those are Coeurls, and they look pretty pissed… I haven't seen one of these in _forever_. They still look pretty mean, though."

"Hn. Physical attacks work best, do not use magic," informed Auron before running up to one and slashing it. Lulu followed his advice and walked off to the side, leaving the others to take care of them.

"They don't look too bad!" decided Rikku before running up to another one of the creatures and slashing it with her claw. It didn't so much as flinch at the attack. "…Oh." The Coeurl in the center growled suddenly and stood. A thundara spell knocked Rikku to the ground, and she quickly joined Lulu on the sidelines.

Ashlin took the opportunity to test out her sword. She ran up to the one that had just cast the magic spell and slashed at its front paw. It seemed much sharper than before, easily cutting through the fur and into its skin. "This works like a charm! Thanks, Rikku!" she added, though Rikku was shaking on the sideline, far from hearing her. Tidus had less luck with the creatures, his sword's magic ability working against him and its strength not enough to affect it much. Kimahri, Auron and Ashlin were left to finish off the three Coeurls with Yuna using any white magic on them when necessary.

With the exception of Rikku, they walked away from the fight mostly unscathed with only a few marks here and there. Ashlin felt good about it; there was something about defeating a Coeurl after her very first encounter with one that made her feel very satisfied.

No more fiends approached them as they came into a less open area. Two bridges were ahead of them with a slope leading down to the valley below them up ahead. "This way," remarked Auron, walking over the first bridge and starting for the slope near the second.

Before they even got close, two Guado guardians walked up the slope, and the group froze between the two bridges. "Maester Seymour wishes to have a word with you. You are too come with us."

Yuna stepped forward. "We have nothing to say to Seymour!"

Tidus nodded and moved beside her. "Get out of our way!"

"Impudence! Well, he did not say that he wanted you _alive_…" remarked one of the Guado, a smirk on his friend's face. The ground began to rumble something awful, nearly knocking them off balance. Following quite late behind the two Guado was a very large creature, which appeared to be made of stone.

Wakka hurled his Blitzball at it, obviously in the hopes that he could immediately knock it over, but it seemed to do little more than aggravate the creature, which promptly turned toward him. Then, it walked over to him and knocked him right over, a sickening crack sounding in the silence. Lulu ran over to him and bent over to feel his pulse, which must have still been there, for she announced, "He'll be fine." Rikku shivered and held onto Ashlin's arm.

"Good thing he has such a thick skull," mumbled Ashlin, which slightly picked up Rikku's spirit. Auron's katana seemed to slash easily and efficiently into the rock, so Rikku decided to take a chance. She avoided the Defender X's hand as it slammed it down in an attempt to hit her, danced around its other hand, and scratched at it with its claw. The claws did next to nothing, only causing damage to her by the strange squelching sound it made. Rikku made a speedy retreat and, with a sigh, sat out another fight.

Ashlin had to count on Lulu to watch her back, for she was nowhere near as quick as Rikku. She clumsily avoided the rocky being's large fists narrowly, and Lulu began to cast Watergas to cover her, distracting the creature as well as doing great damage on it. With a slash, she ran her blade across part of Defender X and, like Rikku, did not achieve a very decent result. The sound was like nails on a chalkboard, and she guessed that she did more damage to her blade than to the monster. Not wanting to break it again, she also sat out the fight, ready to utilize any healing items on anyone that needed them.

Kimahari could not do much, but he stood beside Yuna, ready to take any hit for her. The others had much better luck by utilizing magic or, in Auron's case, his pure strength. He was quite the sight to see, somehow his katana seemed to slice right through the stone; Ashlin guessed he was probably using some magic, too. And, it seemed, Yuna had picked up a few tricks of her own. She could cast her own offensive magic, but it was not anything Ashlin had ever seen before. Holy, it was called, and it seemed to do pretty decently against the Defender X.

Tidus cartwheeled and flipped over to Defender X and, on his last flip, made a height great enough to reach the top of its head. He ran his sword from its head all the way back to the ground. As soon as he was out of harm's way, a ring of blue surrounded it as Lulu cast a series of powerful Waterga spells. Though it seemed tired, it was obvious that the creature wasn't going to give up very easily. Yuna raised her rod and took a few steps forward, but Lulu held up a hand. "You're going to need all of your strength for scaling Mt. Gagazet. Don't summon." Yuna had never been told _not _to summon before, but there was something about Lulu telling her not to that made it seem like a good choice. So, she opted out and left Auron to finish it off.

Finish it he did. He took a swig from the jug sitting at his hip (something none of them had ever seen before), spit out the contents at the Defender X as a strange, orange and dark light surrounded his katana, and slammed his blade into the ground, summoning several black orbs that hit the enemy dead on. Immediately, the Defender X collapsed to the ground and was no more. Tidus shouldered his blade and pumped his fist into the air. "Wow, that was great!"

"This isn't over yet!" announced one of the Guado as he drew the attention back to himself.

"Ha!" responded Rikku, who disappeared from Ashlin's side in an instant and rushed at both Guado, stealing all of the healing items that she knew she had. When she returned to the others, she stuck her tongue out at the Guado. Lulu doublecast two thundaga spells, and they fell easily. "Ooh, we're getting pretty good!"

Auron was back to being all business the moment the threat was gone. He led them down the slope the Guado had used and led them into the lower valley of the Calm Lands. Tidus fell beside Ashlin, the two of them taking over the rear of the group as they usually did. He cast her a sidelong glance as he thought of something. After another minute of consideration, he said, "I noticed your ribbon was gone."

Ashlin raised her eyebrows. "You did? That's a funny thing to notice."

"You _always _have it where it can be seen when it's not in your hair, but I noticed it's gone. Did you lose it in Bevelle?" Deciding that this would be a less complicated answer, Ashlin nodded. "Either way, I got you something today."

"Tidus, you didn't have to—" But Tidus was already reaching into his pocket and placing something into her hand: it was a fairly long red ribbon. Ashlin looked up at him, her face unsure. "You bought me a new ribbon."

"It's the least I could do for you," he answered. She meant to ask him what he was talking about, but he moved back to the front of the group and grasped Yuna's hand as he walked beside her. With a smile, Ashlin took the ribbon and tied her hair back.

The path wasn't very long and, eventually, they found themselves at a dead end with nothing other than a sloping path that seemed to lead into a cave of some sort. Purple mist – which Ashlin hoped really was just mist – seemed to be rising from it. For whatever reason, at this point, Rikku took the lead and ran down into the cave. "Rikku, wait, it could be dan—" Began Ashlin, but the Al Bhed girl disappeared very quickly. However, she returned promptly.

She seemed confused. "What exactly _is _that place?"

"The Cavern of the Stolen Fayth," replied Lulu simply.

Understanding slowly came over Wakka, who had been healed by a few potions from Ashlin. "Is this where…?"

Lulu nodded gravely. "Yes."

"Where what?" asked Tidus.

"This…" Once again, Lulu appeared hesitant, even nervous, as she gazed into the caves depths. "This is where the summoner from my first pilgrimage died."

* * *

**A/n: Obviously, I had a little trouble picking out the title, but I hope that's alright since I updated sooner than I thought I'd be able to? Please review, until the next chapter!**


	19. Demons

**Chapter Eighteen:**  
Demons

**Note: Though I cut off some of the chapter into the next, this is still an extremely long chapter; I hope that's alright. Enjoy!**

'_I hitched a ride, until the coast, to leave behind all of my ghosts,  
Searching for something, I couldn__'__t find at home.'_

**-"Fallen Leaves" by Billy Talent**

**

* * *

**

"The summoner from your first pilgrimage died?" repeated Ashlin, realizing the situation was almost like a "look at the pot calling the kettle black" one. Lulu did not want to relay any more information than she had to and simply nodded in response. Auron spared Lulu from further questioning by being the first to enter the cave; everyone followed, with Lulu heaving a hefty sigh before joining them. Ashlin realized it was probably more than a little rude of her to rub salt in Lulu's wounds. After all, if anyone understood how painful it was to return to the scene of a close friend's death, it would be her. Once Lulu joined them, she walked over to her. "I'm sorry, Lulu, if I sounded like I was judging you; I wasn't. I was just surprised that such a strong guardian like yourself could have had misfortune with one of her summoners."

A smile appeared, very briefly, on Lulu's face. "I appreciate your flattery, but I was not born a perfect guardian. I suppose it's something that takes practice."

"I don't know that this is a practice I want to perfect," mumbled Ashlin, receiving a sympathetic nod from the woman before rejoining the others. Ashlin took in her surroundings for the first time. The cave was somewhat dark, and the purple mist rising through it made it difficult to see very far ahead of them; an upside for the fiends.

"So, why is this place called the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth?" Tidus asked no one in particular.

Yuna inclined her head. "Yes, this is a strange place for a fayth to reside…"

"It is said that the fayth here was stolen from a temple long ago," remarked Lulu.

Tidus scratched his head. "Why would anyone steal a fayth?" Ashlin was more concerned with the question of _how _someone would steal a fayth. Recalling Bahamut's fayth back in Bevelle, she thought it would be near impossible to just carry it out.

"Hn. Isn't it obvious?" answered Auron; Tidus stared at him, a blank look still on his face. "Summoners cannot train without a fayth and, if they do not train, they cannot receive the Final Aeon. Thus—"

"Summoners need the Final Aeon to defeat Sin," murmured Ashlin. "So, by stealing the fayth, the thief was hoping to prevent Summoners from completing their pilgrimage?" Auron nodded.

"Not a bad idea, when you think about it," said Tidus under his breath.

Rikku nodded her head in agreement. "Not at all."

"It's too late for you two to steal any fayth," pointed out Ashlin with a small smile. "So, does that mean that there are more aeons than the ones in the temples? I mean, Seymour has that one… Anima."

"I do not know where he obtained that aeon," answered Auron, "but you are correct." This was nothing short of good news to Tidus and Rikku. Having to find more aeons meant that they would have more time before Yuna would obtain the final aeon. "However, the only fayth that are considered a necessity to obtain are the ones within the temples." Crestfallen looks appeared on Tidus and Rikku's faces, confirming Ashlin's thoughts.

Rikku nodded. "Sure, but remember what Yunie said? The more the merrier!"

"I suppose, but—" began Yuna, though she was spared a response by Wakka.

"We should find the aeon we came looking for, ya?" The others silently agreed, and they started into the dark depths of the cave. It was uncomfortable, to say the least, not to be able to see very far ahead. The sound of claws scraping against the rock reminded Yuna of the Via Purifico though, this time, she could not locate the sources easily at all.

Occasionally, they would come across bright orbs of light, which Ashlin recognized from the Moonflow as pyreflies. Beautiful, but she knew they had the tendency to attract fiends. "I really hope Auron knows where he's going," came Tidus' sudden remark from beside her.

"He's been here before, I'm sure he does." She turned her attention before them once again and squinted. There was something that was definitely not a pyrefly shining through the mist up ahead.

Rikku stared at it with curiosity as well. "What's that?" Footsteps coupled the light, slowly approaching them.

Tidus unsheathed his sword and joined Yuna near the front of the group. "I have a bad feeling about this." Everyone followed suit, grabbing their weapons.

Whatever it was slowly approached them until, finally, the footsteps halted and the thing came into their view. Ashlin could not reason out whether it looked like a bipedal turtle or a green lizard wearing a brown cloak but, either way, it had beady little yellow eyes and was only about three feet tall. If it weren't for the butcher's knife it held in its free hand (the other holding the lantern, the source of its light), Ashlin might have thought it to be very cute. Rikku repeated, "What's that?" once more.

There was a glazed over look in Lulu's eyes, another reminder for Ashlin; she looked the same way that Ashlin had when they encountered the Chimera in Macalania. It occurred to her that Lulu had not mentioned how her summoner had died, though the answer seemed pretty clear now. "Ha, _that_? That's not so bad!" declared Tidus before running forward with his sword. The Tonberry didn't take the opportunity to answer with its knife, though Ashlin didn't understand why. Brotherhood slashed into the creature's skin, but it didn't emit a sound despite the pain it must have felt. "That's… weird."

"You must take great care," chastised Lulu. "If it draws too close and pierces you with its knife, it will be all over." Not "could" be or "might" be, but "will." Her assurance sent a chill through the group.

"So we just gotta take care of it before it can take care of us! Ha!" Wakka hurled his blitzball at the Tonberry, knocking it over. "Ha ha! Not too bad!"

The Tonberry, however, simply stood back up and took a few steps closer toward Wakka, who immediately backed up. "Maybe we should just run away!" suggested Rikku, who was backing into Ashlin and Auron at the same time. "We could outrun it!"

"How strong could it be, really?" was Ashlin's response as she ran at the Tonberry. Suddenly, something flew through the wall to her right and passed right through her, filling her with the feeling of ice. She paused somewhat near the Tonberry to get a look at her assailant, which seemed to be a floating skeletal being with blue flames surrounding its body. "Maybe now it's time to go." The ghost raised its skeletal hand, but whatever attack it had been planning was halted as several small knives pierced it, and it disappeared.

The Tonberry slowly began to turn around, only to be knocked over by a large dog, which finished it off in seconds. Ashlin searched for their savior, but the dog turned on her and knocked her over before she could spot wherever the knives came from. Like a good attack dog, it went directly for her throat, so she squeezed her sword between the small space between them to halt the attack. "Yojimbo," she heard Lulu mutter. "But who…?"

The answer came in the form of a woman who stepped through the mist to reveal herself. She was wearing a summoner's outfit, though it was different from any one that Ashlin had seen so far in that it was much more bland, consisting of only long white sleeves under a floor-length purple dress. A towering form stood beside the summoner, a large man dressed in intricate clothing. "L-Lady… Ginnem?" questioned Lulu, surprised. "Lady Ginnem, it _is _you." Her eyes narrowed a little as she forced them to stare at the hem of the woman's dress. "I am so sorry that I failed you."

Lady Ginnem said nothing though, with that great big aeon beside her, she did not need to. "An unsent?" asked Tidus, looking to Auron, who nodded and looked to Yuna.

She understood immediately. "I'll send her." Yuna slowly raised her rod, ready to begin the dance that Ashlin had not seen since the failed Operation, but she was interrupted as three small knives were thrown at her. Tidus immediately ran to her aid, knocking down two of the knvies and getting struck by the third in his shoulder. "Tidus!"

Lulu stood tall, her eyes still narrowed, but she forced them to stare at her old summoner. "There is no human left in you, is there, Lady Ginnem?" An expression close to a snarl passed over the unsent's face. "Then, I will fulfill my duty to you as your guardian: I will free you."

Kimahri slammed his spear into the unsuspecting dog, Daigoro, and yanked Ashlin to her feet. She uttered a quick thank you before rejoining the others. Yuna stepped in front of the others. If Ginnem was to use her aeon, then it was only fair for her to do the same. "I'll summon," she told the others, who backed off immediately. Yuna twirled her rod around her body and lifted it up to the ceiling, causing an intense bright light to shine over them from a moment. Bahamut soared down and crashed into the cavern's floor, breaking up the ground a little and nearly forcing Yuna and the others (as well as Ginnem) to their feet. There was something very comforting about having Bahamut standing before them, especially knowing that, this time, he was on their side. Yuna closed her eyes for a moment, and Bahamut got on all fours; Ashlin recognized the move well. The halo on his back spun, and a bright energy ray escaped his mouth and hit Yojimbo and his dog. The aeon immediately fell, and Lady Ginnem fell to the ground.

"That was amazing!" cheered Tidus, jutting his injured arm into the air and immediately regretting the action; Kimahari, knowing some basic white magic, cast a quick spell over him.

"Thank you," mumbled Yuna to her aeon before dismissing him. She took a few steps closer to the unsent before twirling her rod close to the ground and whirling on the spot, raising it over and around her body as she went. The sending dance was too beautiful for its purpose, and it was definitely awe-inspiring in its appearance. After a few moments, she ended it, the top of her rod pointing to the ground, and the pyreflies drifted away from Ginnem's body and disappeared.

Lulu was staring at the ground once more. "I know you will be happier in the Farplane. I apologize for my failure," she said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Wakka walked over to her and rested his hand on her shoulder. "You're stronger now."

She slowly looked up at him and attempted a smile, but it did not work out very well. "Thank you. I hope you're right."

"I am," he decided with a grin.

A very small smile on her face, Lulu turned toward Yuna. "The fayth should be just ahead, through the teleportation pad. I… hope you do not mind if I stay behind."

"Of course not," answered Yuna, forcing her own smile before moving straight. Ashlin and Tidus started after her.

"Aren't you coming?" called Tidus to Rikku.

She shook her head earnestly. "I'd rather keep my distance." With a shrug, Ashlin continued after Tidus and Yuna.

They returned about fifteen minutes later to find everyone resting while waiting for them. Rikku, who had been sitting on a rock, jumped up and ran over to join them. "What took so long?"

"That aeon wanted us to _pay _him," replied Ashlin, aghast. "What kind of aeon does that? That's not right at all!" Auron was reminded of his own outrage after he, Jecht, and Braska had obtained the aeon ten years earlier, a smirk on his face.

"At least we only had to pay half the asking price," remarked Yuna cheerily.

"That's still a lot of gill!" complained Tidus. He continued to complain up until they left the valley and started climbing up Mt. Gagazet.

Then, it was Rikku's turn to complain as she vigorously rubbed her shoulders with her hands. "I-it's s-so cold!"

Everyone looked around as they climbed up the thin path that winded up the mountain. "This is Ronso land, ya? Where are the Ronso?" wondered Wakka.

Kimahri had taken the lead now, and his eyes moved back and forth as he searched for any sign of his fellows. A large, dark shape dropped down from one of the overlooking sides of the mountain and struck at Kimahri, who backed up, forcing the others to back up as well. It was none other than one of the bullying Ronso from the Moonflow, Biran. Other Ronso began to appear, sliding down the side of the mountain to join him. Kelk and Yenke soon joined them.

"Summoner Yuna, you and your guardians are to leave this sacred mountain immediately! This Ronso land, sacred land of Yevon! The snow of Gagazet will not bear the footsteps of traitors!" roared Kelk.

Yuna bravely stepped to the front of the group and shook her head. "I have cast aside Yevon; I follow the teachings no longer."

"Then you will not walk this mountain! You will die by those foolish words!"

"It is for the best, then. Yevon has betrayed us all, there is no reason for me to follow the temples any longer."

Wakka nodded. "Nothin' but a bunch of tricksters!"

"Yeah!" chorused Tidus, Ashlin and Rikku.

Yuna took strength from their agreement. "We have no regrets in what we have done, but I will not give up my pilgrimage."

"But you have cast aside Yevon… Why would you continue?" demanded Kelk, truly perplexed.  
"Perhaps, Lord Kelk Ronso, you could answer that question yourself?" suggested Lulu delicately. "You have cast aside Yevon as well, yet you remain guarding the mountain from traitors."

Biran and Yenke cracked their hands menacingly and pounding their fists together. "We will get rid of these blasephemers, Elder! We will not allow any of them to get away!"

Yuna smiled. "No, this is our path; this is what we have chose. We will not run."

Kelk Ronso stared at the summoner as if she were the strangest thing he had ever laid eyes on. "You have been branded a traitor, yet you still continue your pilgrimage, knowing it will end in the sacrifice of your own life. Despised by all Yevonites, and yet…"

"I do not want Spira to be in pain any longer. I want to bring the Calm, I want to bring happiness back to this place. I do not care about the hypocrisy of the temples; I simply want to do what I can, because it's what the people deserve – even if they hate me."

The elder contemplated this as he turned his back on them and began to walk away. "I… see. You, Summoner, are most admirable. Ronso, allow them passage!" He barked at the line of Ronso blocking the mountain path. "It is what they deserve."

Yuna bowed her head. "Thank you." Despite Kelk Ronso's blessing to traverse the mountain, Biran and Yenke still seemed very much against it. They stood, blocking their path, with arms crossed over their burly chests. "Summoner proven strength, summoner may pass. Guardians may pass. Little Kimahri no pass! Kimahri shame his people, a shame to his mountain! The mountain will not allow Kimahri to climb it!"

Tidus stepped to the front of the group and waved his left arm around impatiently. "Not this again. Kimahri's stronger than both of you put together; he's not a shame to anyone!"

Kimahri only shook his head, murmuring, "Stop." Tidus looked over at him, surprised. "Kimahri must deal with Kimahri problem."

"But—"

"Yuna, go," ordered the Ronso as he held his spear in front of him. "Kimahri will prove Kimahri's strength."

The larger Ronso seemed considerably shocked by this declaration. "You will not get any farther than this, Little Kimahri! Not forget who take horn!" reminded Biran.

Yenke's throat rumbled with laughter. "Little Kimahri a shame to Ronso. Kimahri never beat Brother Biran! Never climb Gagazet!"

Yuna appeared torn, remembering only all too well what happened the last time she left Kimahri. As if he sensed her thoughts, he said, "More important that Yuna continue pilgrimage."

"But, Kimahri…"

And, for the second time, Ashlin said, "I'll stay, Yuna. Kimahri and I will catch up. I'll make sure that he comes with you to Zanarkand, I promise."

"Are you… sure?"

Ashlin nodded. "Absolutely. Besides, I have a score to settle with these two for outing me! I have to make sure Kimahri beats them! We'll catch up," she repeated.

Yuna finally agreed. "Alright."

"If storm gets too bad, make sure you stop. Mountain unforgiving, take shelter," advised Kimahri as he marched off to the side of the path where there was an area open enough that seemed like its very purpose there was to pose as a fighting ground for the Ronso. With a wave, Ashlin watched Yuna and the others start their ascension of the mountain.

Once they were out of her view, she turned back toward the Ronsos. "Take care of 'em, Kimahri!" Kimahri briefly looked back at her with something resembling a grin on his face.

"Biran will take care of you once and for all!"

"Hornless! Hornless! Howl alone!" Yenke sounded like a mocking seven-year-old. Immediately following his mocking, he breathed fire from his lips, which temporarily covered Kimahri. Kimahri only winced for a moment and ignored the pain. A green light surrounded him and, in the next moment, he absorbed some golden light from Yenke. Having stolen the other Ronso's ability, Kimahri repaid Yenke and Biran by breathing his own fire breath at the both of them, which earned unpleasant grunts of pain.

"Weak Kimahri!" roared Biran as lightning cascaded from the sky and struck Kimahri, forcing him to one knee for a moment. He looked toward Yenke, "Now!"

Yenke dashed at Kimahri with a speed that seemed impossible, knocking him flat on his back in the snow. Being in such close proximity to Yenke made Ashlin want to call him names in Al Bhed, but she refrained. Instead, she settled for: "Kimahri! You can do this! If you could fight Seymour twice and win, then you can do anything!"

Kimahri was slow to stand, but he stood all the same. Ashlin clasped her hands together, dancing from foot to foot in order to keep warm. In the next instance, a large amount of water fell over Biran and forced him to one knee, which Ashlin took as a marvelous sign. The water clung to his fur and froze, giving him a somewhat frosty appearance. Kimahri ran at the fallen Ronso with his spear, and Biran quickly stood to grab it with his hands. They struggled like that for a few moments, up until Biran seemed to recall he could breathe fire directly in Kimahri's face. With a grunt of pain, Kimahri backed up a few paces, perfectly position between the two Ronso. It wasn't a fair fight, not even close, but Ashlin knew that Kimahri was strong enough to defeat them.

Then, Kimahri surprised even her as he cast a few thundaga spells, which were enough to force Biran to the ground. He quickly attacked with his spear and, this time, Biran did not rise to stop him. After landing the hit, Kimahri retreated away from the Ronso, who immediately stood. "L-little K-Kimahri," growled Biran before collapsing in the snow.

"Brother Biran! You will pay for this, Hornless!" roared Yenke, promptly running at Kimahri again. This time, however, Kimahri predicted the move and stepped aside at the last possible second so that Yenke slid in the snow. Turning around to face the out of sorts Ronso, Kimahri breathed fire for a second time, singeing Yenke's fur. "Little Kimahri weak, never win!"

Kimahri cast two more thundaga spells and Yenke, too, collapsed into the snow. Ashlin jumped up and down, partially to stay warm and partially to celebrate Kimahri's victory. "Kimahri, you did it! I knew you could!" Revealing her Al Bhed nature once again, Ashlin dashed forward and hugged the Ronso tightly. Though obviously perplexed and a little uncomfortable, Kimahri patted her shoulder, and they separated as Yenke and Biran rose.

"Girl," began Biran; she was pleased that he didn't call her 'heathen'. "Tell your summoner that she is in good hands. Sacred Gagazet," he added in a loud roar, "Remember the name of the strong warrior who defeats Biran. Remember always Kimahri!" Nodding to himself, Biran said to them, "Now Mountain know Kimahri strength; Mountain accept him."

"Ronso will shine Summoner Yuna statue brightest!" declared Yenke.

Ashlin shook her head. "Yuna's an enemy to Yevon, no one will make a statue of her."

Biran roared, presumably in disgust. "Ronso make statue! Give summoner big strong so all we know her strength!" The idea of a Yuna with a large Ronso horn was quite humorous, but Ashlin knew it was there way of accepting her – as well as Kimahri.

"We'll tell her. I think she'll like that."

"Ronso will hold back enemies of Summoner. We sing to Summoner's victory."

"Kimahri thank Yenke and Biran," said the Ronso as he and Ashlin made to leave.

Biran sent one more glance Ashlin's way. "Girl, be warned. Sacred Gagazet not kind to Al Bhed clothing." Ashlin wanted to smile and point out that she did not dress based on her culture (and, thus, Bikanel Island climate), but simply decided to take it in stride. Besides, she knew that Rikku was in a much poorer state with her, even with her shredded leggings.

"Thank you," was all she said as she and Kimahri began to climb the mountain. As they walked, they heard the deep Ronso voices singing, loud and clear, the hymn of the fayth. "Huh. I guess they're not so bad after all."

**XxX**

"Hey, you hear that?" asked Wakka as he suddenly stopped walking. The others did, too, and Rikku really wished they had not as she hopped from one foot to the other; she was absolutely _freezing_. Nonetheless, she listened and heard it, too.

"Singing!" she exclaimed.

"The Ronso?" wondered Lulu.

Tidus clapped his hands together. "I bet that means that Kimahri won!"

"Should we wait?" asked Yuna as she looked around for a place to do so.

"There." Auron gestured to a gaping hole in the cliff wall. Happily, it was large enough for all of them to comfortably.

Yuna was still concerned as she sat down. "What if they get lost?"

Shaking his head as he started a fire, Tidus said, "Kimahri's a Ronso. I bet the directions are in his blood!"

"What if _we're _lost?" asked Rikku nervously, her teeth audibly chattering as her body shook.

"We're not lost," came Auron's stern reply. "Rest. When they rejoin us, we leave."

"That don't sound fair to them…" mused Wakka as he scratched his head, which barely showed any visible signs that it had been cracked into by a rocky creature.

"It took us half an hour to get up here," pointed out Lulu. "We likely will be waiting a while." She turned toward Yuna, who was sitting before the fire. "Rest, Yuna. I'll wake you when we eat." The idea of food made Tidus more than comfortable enough to sleep during the wait. Slowly but surely, everyone else got comfortable and drifted off to sleep.

…Except Rikku, who's frozen state was making it too difficult for her to get comfortable enough to even think of shutting her eyes. She hovered near the fire. The sudden rustle of cloth as well as the feeling of something falling over her cold shoulders alerted her to Auron's presence. She glanced behind her at him and saw him already sitting back down against the cavern wall without his haori. Still staring at him, she clutched the cloth tightly against her skin. "You need it far more than I."

Fully aware that there was heat on her cheeks that had nothing to do with actual warmth, she mumbled a shy, "Thanks, Auron." She made herself more comfortable in it, putting her arms through the sleeves before she lay down and finally found sleep.

**XxX**

Ashlin's boots crunched in the snow as she stopped and looked over the ledge that they were currently standing on. It had taken quite some time to get as far as they had, and the only sound (beside the roaring of the wind) in the mountain seemed to have faded. "They stopped." Sure enough, the sound of singing Ronso was gone, though their strong, deep voices should have still carried up to them. "Are we too high up to hear them?"

Kimahri shook his head. "No. Kimahri have bad feeling."

Ashlin nodded slowly. "Me too…" So they moved faster, unsure of what was following behind them, and eventually came to the cavern where the others were resting. Kimahri entered it first, and Auron started at their appearance. "Hey, guys, we should really get going."

Lulu sat up slowly and took in the new arrivals with blurry eyes. "You don't wish to rest?"

"Kimahri and Ashlin have bad feeling," proclaimed the Ronso.

Ashlin nodded. "The Ronso were singing the Hymn of the Fayth for Yuna, and it just stopped really suddenly."

"Maybe they're tired," suggested Wakka as he stood.

"Either way…" trailed off Ashlin.

Yuna had also awoken at Kimahri and Ashlin's arrivals and stood. "Alright, let's go." Once Tidus and Rikku were awake, they continued up the mountain as a complete group; no one questioned why Rikku was wearing Auron's haori. They walked in silence, pausing only to fight fiends. Somehow, Rikku, Tidus and Ashlin wound up at the back of the group as they began to talk.

"Ash, Rikku and I have decided we won't let Yuna die."

"I thought we agreed on this back in Bevelle? Or was that not official because we all thought we were going to die?" wondered Ashlin.

Tidus waved her off. "The point is, we're absolutely not giving up on this."

"But we're not really sure of what we can do," explained Rikku. "Help us?"

"Of course! There has to be a way, right?"

"Positive thinking! This is good!" proclaimed Tidus.

Rikku looked around suddenly, a concerned expression setting in on her face. "Uh… guys? I think we're lost."  
Tidus stared at her before gazing around as well. "Huh? What makes you think that?"

Rikku jumped up and down. "Because everyone else is gone!" Sure enough, she was right. Yuna and the others had all disappeared from view. "Ooh, we're going to freeze to death!" She pulled the haori tighter around her body.

"Quit being so negative, huh? We just have to figure out where they went…"

Ashlin managed a little cough, grabbing the attention of the other two. Then, she pointed to the several different paths that branched off from where they stood. "I guess we shouldn't have slowed down, which turned into us not walking altogether."

Tidus put a hand to his forehead. "Ughh. Well, we just have to choose a path, it's no problem."

"Okay," agreed an unsure Rikku. "Let's go…"

"That way!" They all responded at the same time as they pointed in different directions. "Now what?" complained Tidus.

Ashlin clasped her hands together. "I think I've got an idea. Okay, this is what Jaidan, Aimee, and I used to do in this sort of situation. We'll play rock, paper, scissors. Whoever wins gets to pick the path we follow."

Tidus shrugged. "Sounds good to me! Okay, rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" Ashlin and Rikku both chose rock while Tidus chose paper. He jutted his fist into the air. "Alright, in that case, let's go this way."

"Our bodies will never be found," whimpered Rikku as they followed Tidus on the straight path. The path was quite strange. It took them up, and up, and up then, with no warning at all, it went back down. They followed it nonetheless, for Tidus was confident that it would lead them to the others, but when it bottomed into a dead end, Rikku and Ashlin turned on him. "Now you got us even _more _lost!"

Raising his hands, he said, "Hey it's not _my _fault—"

"What are you talking about? _You chose the path!_" reminded Ashlin, causing Tidus to rub the back of his head. "Well, now what?"

"I guess we go back and pick a new one?" suggested Rikku. Heaving sighs, they turned and made to start back up the path.

Ashlin froze in her steps. "You know… we're almost to Zanarkand."

Tidus followed her train of thought immediately and also stopped. "We'll come up with something.

We have to." He shook his head. "Yuna shouldn't have to die."

Ashlin nodded. "I'm with you. Yuna's death won't change anything. Yevon will continue to lie, and

the endless spiral of death will continue. Like Auron said, we have to think outside of the box… But what?"

"No, Yevon will not have to lie because Spira will be no more. You will not have to mourn Lady Yuna; I will rescue you from your sorrow by delivering you a swift death!" A high voice proclaimed from somewhere behind them. The last thing they truly needed was Seymour to ambush them while they were horribly lost.

Rikku took a few steps backwards, chancing a glance over her shoulder as she moved. There appeared to be another path connected to this one that led up to a very tall tunnel. It looked like nothing they had ever seen before, and she pointed it out to the other two in a whisper. Seymour pointed his staff at them. "Tell me, where is Yuna?"

"We got separated. I have no idea," answered Tidus as he and the girls grabbed their weapons. "On my count…" he added in a murmur. "One…"

"So, you fools choose to die as the Ronso did? So be it. I will make it swift; I believe the bit with your Unsent friend was quite enough."

If Tidus had counted to two, Ashlin hadn't heard him. She wished that it was surprising that the cause of the Ronso's silence was Seymour, but it really was not. It was his last sentence that caught her. "You... how did you know that?"

"She was in Bevelle. I summoned her father to you in the prison," he answered simply, "and sent her into the forest after you."

"Ashlin," Rikku tried and failed to grab her attention.

"But how did you know? How did you know anything?"

Another simple reply, "I am much more intelligent than you. All I had to do was a little bit of prying, but I figured out the fate of her soon enough. It was much easier when I found her in the street before my wedding. And your whereabouts after you fools 'defeated' me was quite easy. Where else could traitors of Yevon run to after escaping Bevelle?"

Ashlin's face screwed up in deep dislike. "You… You are a crazy… A… Lnywo zang!" snarled Ashlin as she made to run at him, but she felt two hands grab either of her arms instead.

"Three!" shouted Tidus as the top of his lungs as he and Rikku dragged Ashlin up the slope and onto the other path. They were really close to the tunnel, and they would make it if Ashlin would just stop fighting—

A glimmering light appeared over the entrance to the tunnel, forcing them to pause. Ashlin calmed herself down long enough to examine it. "What… did he do?"

"Not sure," answered Tidus as he reached out to touch it.

Rikku shook her head. "Wait! Don't!" But it was too late. The moment Tidus touched the pink barrier, it sent shockwaves through his body and threw him back down the path. "Tidus!" Seymour walked a slow, languid pace, an off-putting grin on his face.

"Pitiful mortals. You cannot hope to escape me. You will be the first ones to go. It is much better for you than to wait for me to destroy Spira… This is really very merciful of me."

"Agh, what do you know about mercy? For what you've done… We'll stop you now!" Ashlin rushed at Seymour with her sword raised, but he only chuckled in response.

"Defeat me all you'd like, but I will never leave. Now…" Seymour raised his staff and pointed it at her for a second time, but he actually cast a spell this time. She was in mid-step when an odd sensation fell over her. Ashlin wondered if it always felt this way, or if the lack of feeling was due to her nerves being frozen. If the latter was the case, they thawed out just enough for her to feel pressure building from her feet and going up her body. Somehow, she had not expected him to cast a petrification spell on her, least of all when she was running toward him and should have noticed. The last image her mind preserved for her as the stone covered her eyes was Seymour's laughing face. "Just one more left."

The last time Rikku had attempted to fight Seymour off, it had ended poorly, and she did not have much higher hopes this time around. She waited for him to attack, but he did not do so immediately. Instead, a bright light engulfed his body as he took a few steps back and was lifted into a strange-looking, small ship-like object. The mechanical Mortibody from before was attached to the back of the robotic thing. Yet, Seymour still did not attack her dispite his obvious advantage. Instead, the Mortibody surged in the air and hurled itself toward Ashlin with its claws clamping.

Rikku's eyes widened at the realization. _'If that thing broke Ash's sword, then she—' _She pictured Ashlin's statue shattering into a million tiny pieces, which would never go back together. "Oh!" Though it was not, perhaps, the wisest move, Rikku hurled herself at the Mortibody and struck at it with her claw. She did no damage to it, but she did force it away from the statue. "Tidus, wake up!" she added in a loud voice, but he did no such thing.

"Nuisance, it's your turn…" Seymour lazily raised his staff from where he was seated and a fairly large icicle flew through the air before homing in on Rikku's stomach. The force was enough to force Rikku on her back, but the pain was something else completely. The icicle had sunk into her flesh; she could feel it grinding against her body, but the icy chill that rushed through her body made it impossible to scream. Seymour admired his handiwork: the statue of Ashlin, impaled Rikku, and knocked out and shocked Tidus. "Hn, that lasted." The robotic ship floated off of the path and around the ledge; he had a feeling he knew where he would find Yuna.

Meanwhile, Yuna and the others found themselves not far away at all, very close to the tunnel. "I… I can't believe we lost them," she breathed. "Where could they be?"

"Mountain big, could be anywhere," grunted Kimahri, which was definitely not what anyone needed or wanted to hear.

"We'll have to backtrack," decided Yuna. Lulu looked, just for a moment, like she might argue. "I won't leave them behind."

"I would never suggest such a thing," replied Lulu, slightly stung. "I was simply going to suggest that you go on ahead while some of us backtrack."

A new voice joined them. "Ah, Lady Yuna, I have found you at last." The flying contraption seemingly beamed him down onto the snow to join them, resulting in everyone drawing their weapons and forming a protective circle around Yuna. "I simply thought I might deliver a message," he explained as he faced Kimahari. "I wish to congratulate you. Despite being the smallest of your kind, you have managed to be the last one remaining. Truly, those Ronso were very chivalrous. Every last one threw themselves before me so that I might stop… And I destroyed everyone. Every mother, every child…" He broke off into a mad giggle; Kimahari's throat rumbled with a growl as he tightened the grip on his spear. "And I also happened to notice you are three guardians short, Lady Yuna. Worry not; I located them for you."

"Seymour," began Yuna in a long voice as she gripped her rod tighter and took a few steps forward. "What did you do with them?"

Another chuckle from Seymour. "Ah, well, I left them to the elements, more or less. I made one of them into a statue and left the other two for dead. The one you truly love, he might survive. However, your cousin… I am afraid that the icicle will be making it difficult for her to breathe, let alone move." His face stretched into a wide smile.

"Seymour, you…" The look in Yuna's eyes was fierce, almost frightening as she raised her rod in anticipation of sending him.

"Just like that? You wouldn't give your Ronso friend one shot to avenge all of the fallen?" wondered Seymour, but he did not have to taunt much longer. Letting loose a deep growl, Kimahari surged at him with his spear ready to do major damage. "Yes, he has the right idea. I'm afraid I won't be going without a fight."

"A surprise," breathed Lulu. "We'll make this quick."

Rikku and the others were not far from the new battle, simply just a tunnel away. As Seymour had predicted, though Rikku was, theoretically, in the best shape, she was having a difficult time doing much of anything. Though she willed her body to sit down, she couldn't imagine moving with the ice sticking into her body like it was. "Cred!" Even breathing the word hurt. She lay her head back in the snow and stared backwards, up the tunnel. She could make out some flashes of light, though, at the moment, she was unable to make sense of them. "So close…"

Digging her hands into the snow, she seized a handful of snow and hurled it at Tidus. "Wake up, Tidus! Tidus!" It hurt even more to yell, but it seemed to work. Tidus' eyes slowly opened as he sat up and clutched his head.

"I feel like I got hit by a—"

"Icicle?" growled Rikku, who was attempting to lift her head just enough to stare at him. "Hurry and help Ash so we can get out of here!"

"But—"

"You can't help me by yourself!"

True enough. Tidus dug into his pocket and threw some type of potion over Ashlin, causing the stone to crack around her. She fell into the snow from the sudden implementation of gravity and looked around. He pulled her to her feet and they collapsed at Rikku's side. "Should we… Should we lift her?"

"Worth a shot," decided Tidus as they took either one of her arms. They managed to get her about a foot off the ground before she began howling in pain; they gently let her back onto the ground. "No. Okay…"

"I guess the answer's kind of obvious," mumbled Ashlin as she watched Rikku screw up her eyes in pain. "But it's going to hurt like hell."

"Can't hurt worse than this," grunted Rikku, her eyes still closed.

Tidus looked from Ashlin to the icicle and immediately understood. "I'm not too sure about that," he replied, "so don't open your eyes."

"Why?" she asked, panicked. "What're you gonna do?"

"Just pretend like you're back on Bikanel," mumbled Ashlin before adding, even softer, to Tidus, "We'll both put our hands on it and pull."

Tidus winced at the thought. "That's the worst idea I've ever heard."

"Not true. Didn't you hear me ask Rikku to claw a bullet out of my leg?" Tidus looked no more pleased at that thought, either. "Okay, one, two…-"

"Wait! Don't count! I don't want to know it's coming!"

Tidus nodded. "Fair enough," he reasoned, looking over at Ashlin before mouthing, "Three." They pulled at the icicle as hard as they could in unison, and the silent air rang quite clearly with Rikku's screams, which even managed to reach up to the fight above.

Seymour seemed somewhat unnerved at the sound. "Hn, a fiend has gotten to them, it seems."

"You're wrong," replied Wakka as he hurled his Blitzball at Seymour's head. "You don' know 'em like we do. They wouldn't give up just like that, not even close!"

"How charming is your misplaced faith…" mused Seymour before hovering over to Wakka and striking him with the object his rod had become, a lance. He stabbed downward, quickly, but did not pierce into his skin. Instead, an odd sensation came over Wakka, a feeling like he was somewhere between alive and dead.

Wakka grasped the back of his head. "Uh, I don't feel too good, ya…?"

"I will end you now!" growled Seymour as he raised the lance, causing light to rain down from the sky over Wakka.

"Fool!" grunted Lulu, rushing into Wakka's place by pushing him to the ground and out of harm's way. Yuna promptly cast a healing spell over him that released him from the zombie status, and the ray of light affected Lulu not in the least.

Wakka blinked a few times. "Lu, you just saved my life—"

"Someone's got to pay attention to your well-being," came her grumbled reply.

Auron looked to Yuna. "End this quickly."

"Yes, I'll summon…" For the second time that day, Yuna summoned Bahamut, who seemed more than ready to get involved in the fight. He roared, stamping his feet, and released that devastating ray of light on Seymour…

The robot beneath Seymour crashed and burned, putting him at their mercy for the moment. Yuna dismissed her aeon and stepped to the front of the group as she prepared to send him, but they were abruptly interrupted. Tidus and Ashlin, supporting Rikku between them, hobbled up the tunnel just to their left, distracting everyone and giving Seymour more than enough recovery time. "So, you've survived. It must be some luck you have."

"Not luck," panted Ashlin, "all skill. One-hundred percent."

Seymour ignored her and faced Tidus. "You know, I know more about you than you think."

"You think so, huh?"

"I _know _so. And I can help you."

At this, Tidus faltered. "…Help me?"

"Your father will be freed once I become Sin." Surprise colored the faces of the others – except, of course, for Auron, Tidus, and Ashlin.

Yuna looked from Tidus to Seymour. "Sir Jecht, what…?"

"I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet," chuckled Seymour. "If I were to become Sin – with your help, of course, Lady Yuna – then Jecht would be freed. Father and son would be reunited once more. Isn't that a worthy cause for you?" he asked, his eyes on Yuna, who did not quite know what to say.

Ashlin shook her head. "Everything Seymour says is twisted. Even if you were considering that, Yuna, there would be a catch, and it wouldn't work out the way either you or Tidus are hoping it would."

The smile disappeared from Seymour's face. "Such insolence. You do not know me; how can you speak of things you do not understand?"

"You're insane, what more is there to understand?"

Lulu nodded her agreement. "She's right. Yuna, quickly, Send him."

Even if the window of opportunity had not closed on them, Yuna would not have been able to do so with the thought of Jecht implanted in her a chuckle and small wave, Seymour's very body disappeared before their eyes.

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**A/n: Originally, I was going to include the fight with Dark Yojimbo, but I decided against it, which is obviously a good thing since I already had to cut things from this chapter. xD I hope you enjoyed, please review and I will see you in the next chapter!**

**Lnywo zang** - Crazy jerk


	20. Just A Dream

**Chapter Nineteen**:  
Just a Dream

**Note: This update was supposed to come on St. Patrick's Day but through a series of unexpected events, including catching the stomach flu, I was unable to do much of anything. D: Thank you once again to the Royal Cupcake and Dancing Summoner for keeping me motivated to write this and to everyone who's reading. Enjoy the chapter, and kindly review!**

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Lulu looked from Rikku to Ashlin to Tidus as if she expected one of them to spontaneously combust. "Is everyone alright?"

Rikku peered down at the gaping hole in her stomach and paled quite visibly, swaying despite the fact that Tidus and Ashlin were holding her up the best they could. Yuna ran forward and caught her, slowly lowering both of them to the ground. "Let me help." She cast a quick healing spell, which seemed to do well enough as Rikku's color returned. Slowly, she looked into her cousin's eyes. "I'm sorry, Rikku, the magic is too dark for me to heal completely…"

Rikku shook her head before throwing her arms around Yuna's neck. "You did more than enough, Yunie."

Yuna mustered a small smile as she returned the embrace. With Tidus' assistance, she helped Rikku back to her feet. Ashlin grinned. "Well, at least you won't be running all over the place now…"

"Not funny," complained Rikku as she examined the damage. The wound was still very big. Recalling that she owed Rikku ten times over, Ashlin pulled some bandages out of her pocket and wrapped the wound without another word. She made sure to pull them tight so that the bleeding would stop and Rikku would feel a little more whole. "I think I'm going to have a really big scar…"

"Well, if we're all okay…" Tidus trailed off as his eyes fell on Kimahri, who was standing on the edge and staring into the nothingness below. "Uh…"

Yuna walked over to the Ronso, gently placing a hand on his arm; he looked down at her. "Kimahri, I'm so sorry."

Kimahri, however, shook his head. "Not Yuna's fault. Yuna no apologize. Ronso kept promise. Come." He turned away from the cliff and began to start up the slope, followed by Lulu, Wakka, and Rikku.

Yuna was still not finished. Her eyes fell to the snow. "Seymour said Sir Jecht could be saved—"

"Lies," replied Auron.

Yuna shook her head and looked to him. "You know something. What is it?"

Auron turned around and began to follow after the others; Ashlin chewed on her lip as she gazed at Tidus, who looked both nervous and concerned. She opted to give Rikku a hand in ascending the next tunnel rather than stick around and watch. "Come," said Auron instead of answering.

Again, the summoner shook her head and started after him. "Sir Auron, tell me what it is you know."

Tidus managed to choke out, "Sin's my old man." He didn't say it very loudly, but it was still loud enough for Yuna to hear him. Her head snapped in his direction so quickly that it should have hurt.

"What?"

The rest of the group was only just inside the tunnel and, as such, also heard him. "You feelin' okay?" asked Wakka.

"He wasn't the one who got hit in the head by a stone fist," pointed out Lulu with a delicate smile, which promptly disappeared. "But it certainly does not sound right."

Tidus stomped his foot, as if that would help confirm what he was saying. "It's the truth. I wasn't sure at first, but after we got separated on Bikanel, I figured it out. I don't know how or if he chose to do it, but it's the truth. All of the pain my old man has caused—"

"It's not of his own choice," replied Yuna, "I'm sure of it. But, Sir Jecht being Sin – your _father _being Sin – I still must…"

Tidus nodded. "I can't see my old man wanting to cause so much suffering. It's for the best."

"Look at it as helping him," suggested Rikku tactfully.

Lulu stared at Tidus with something resembling admiration. "You would fight your own father?"

Tidus grinned. "It wouldn't be that hard, trust me." Ashlin and Rikku managed nervous giggles.

Wakka still seemed unsure about the whole thing. "Are… are you sure that your old man's…?"

"No doubt in my mind."

Ashlin nodded. "If Tidus is sure, then I'm sure too."

"Me too!" agreed Rikku.

"But I still don't get it," complained Wakka, as if his lack of understanding cut the statement's validity.

Auron shrugged and started ahead of the rest. "We will soon see." Rikku ran after him.

"Auron, I'm sorry about your haori… The icicle, see." She gestured to the gaping hole in the cloth before beginning to take it off.

He shook his head. "Keep it."

"_Keep _it?" she repeated, incredulous.

"You need it more than I." Rikku was not quite sure how to respond and settled for a quiet thank you. Eventually, the stairs turned into a flat path, which rounded a cliff and passed by a very high wall with a chilling appearance, which put Rikku off quite a bit.

"What… Aren't those bodies?"

Yuna joined them. "No. Many, many fayth. And… someone appears to be using them."

"The power that type of person must have," gasped Wakka as his eyes scanned all of the fayth.

"Who could be using so many and for what purpose?" wondered Lulu, troubled.

Rikku noticed something pass over Auron's face, just for a moment. "Hey, you know, I think you _know _something. What is it, huh?"

Auron chuckled. "This is your journey too."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Rikku.

"Sometimes you must seek out the answers for yourself. I will not be around forever to answer all of your questions." Though it went amiss by absolutely everyone, he chose his words quite carefully.

"This is creepy," complained Ashlin. "Can we-?" She broke off, staring at Tidus. He did not seem to be reacting to the wall of fayth, which she found odd in itself, but he also seemed to be swaying on the spot. "Tidus? Something wrong?" He shook his head as he fell forward, reaching out and laying his hand on the wall. This seemed to make it even worse as, abruptly, he dropped to the ground. "Tidus!"

**XxX**

All was very silent aside from the soothing sound of the ocean. _'The ocean?' _questioned Tidus as he opened his eyes and slowly sat up. It appeared that he was on a dock of some sort. The sky was full of cool colors and, though it took a minute, he realized that he was in Zanarkand. Tidus grasped his head while he stood and gazed around. The others were gone, but he did not so much as think that he was in _that _Zanarkand, for it was supposed to be in ruins.

He was home. It was what he had wanted all this time, and now all he wanted was to get back to Yuna. No one was on the pier, and the only thing of interest there was a docked boat. Something moved into his peripheral vision. The small robed figure rushed onto the boat and disappeared behind a door. Tidus had no doubt that he recognized the figure and followed after it. At first, he saw nothing aside from a nice-looking living room, and then the robed child suddenly appeared behind him. "You, you're the kid from the game! And I saw you in that vision after my old man attacked the Operation…" There was something more. "You're Bahamut's fayth."

The child inclined his head. "That's right."

"What am I doing here? I have to get back!"

"No, you need to understand a few things first. Come with me." The child disappeared, and Tidus took a chance by going outside. He turned and found the fayth standing at the edge of the ship, facing away from him. Tidus joined him and gazed across the water where the rest of Zanarkand stood. The city seemed perfect, in much better shape than Tidus had left it when Sin and Auron took him away. "Beautiful, hm? You know much more since you originally left."

Tidus rubbed the back of his head. "Well, yeah…"

"You know that this is no longer what Zanarkand looks like. This is what it looked like 1000 years ago, prior to the war."

"But that's what I don't understand. How are there two Zanarkands?"

"1000 years ago, Bevelle and Zanarakand fought in a war, and Bevelle had the obvious advantage with their massive machina over Zanarkand's summoners. Once the city was destroyed, there were not many survivors left. The remainder of us… became fayth, and we attempted to preserve the city."

Tidus stared at the fayth and shook his head. "I'm not following. I thought the purpose of the fayth was to allow Summoners to get aeons and all that."

"Our purpose was to help with a summoning, but not that. The beauty of Zanarkand was too great for us to let go, so, using the memories of us fayth, we created a new Zanarkand, one that could not be touched. Everything in it, we summoned: the buildings, the people… everything."

Tidus took a few steps backwards. "That can't be true. That would mean that _I'm_ just a dream, that I'm not real, but I _am _real. I'm solid; I can feel things – especially pain."

"This is true. You exist, but only because we have dreamed you up. The moment we stop dreaming…" Bahamut's fayth did not need to clarify. "Your arrival to Spira was no accident. We fayth are tiring of dreaming… We must soon awaken, but we need you and your father – both dreams touched by reality – to help us in order to reach this goal. You and Yuna must allow us to wake; you must not allow her to die. But once you are successful, you will be no more."

Tidus did not know how he was supposed to react. "I'll just disappear like I was never here to begin with…?"

"Not true. You have made a great impact on many people; it will never be as if you never existed. However, you _will _fade, but you will not disappear."

"What are you trying to say?"

"As I said, both you and your father have been touched by us fayth, a dream touched by reality."

"But, so…" But Bahamut was already fading before his eyes.

"It's up to you to figure out the rest." Once he was gone, he left Tidus standing there alone, unsure of how to leave and even more unsure about what he had just been told. Truthfully, he had been told many insane things since leaving home, but this topped them all.

He stared at his hand, as if he expected it to disappear before his eyes. "I'll fade away…"

"Tidus!" He looked around at the sound of his name and saw Rikku's translucent form standing somewhat near his own, though she was obviously not real. "Wake up!"

Ashlin appeared beside her. "What if Seymour's attack was worse than we thought?"

But the voice that rang closest, that tugged him out of his misery, was the softest one. "Tidus, don't leave me. I need you. Please, don't go." Yuna was standing much closer to him than the other two, and her voice was so close that she might have been leaning into his ear. "_Please_." And Tidus began to disappear.

Back on the mountain, nearly everyone was hovered around Tidus' unconscious form. Auron and Kimahari kept their distance, though some sort of understanding appeared to be on the former's face. Yuna had pulled Tidus' head into her lap, her head bent low as she tried to reach him. When he stirred, everyone moved back a little.

Tidus opened his eyes to find Yuna's face hanging over his, a relieved look on it. "Ah, man, you had us worried!" chastised Wakka as he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Never do that again!" complained Rikku as she sat back on her heels and rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand.

Yuna leaned back, allowing him to sit up. "Sorry for worrying everyone. I don't know what happened, guess I was just tired."

Ashlin raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Tired? You touched the wall and then you collapsed."

"It's over now, right? That's all that matters," decided Yuna as they both stood.

"We should continue. Are you _sure _you're well?" Lulu asked him for the second time.

With a nod, he said, "Yes, I promise." The group started moving once more; Tidus kept a slow pace at the back, and Ashlin fell into step beside him.

"So?"

"So what?"

"What happened?" He stared at her. "Come _on_. I like to think I've come to know you well enough to know when something's wrong – or when you're obviously lying."

Tidus rested his hands behind his head. "I tell you everything, yet you barely tell me a thing."

Ashlin pursed her lips. "If this is about what happened with Seymour, then I'll explain." So, she quickly recounted last night's events and the whole truth about what had happened to Aimee and Jaidan.

"Kinda like Wakka's brother then, huh? The machina jammed on her."

"Yeah, I never really thought about it like that before," admitted Ashlin. "I never really wanted to think about it at all. But, that's it. Everything's on the table now. So, what happened?"

Tidus stared ahead of them once more, his hands still rested behind his head. "This one I can't say."

"What? How can this be more serious than you being from another Zanarkand, or your dad being Sin?"

"This is something I have to work out for myself. Sorry," he added. "But I'd prefer not to dwell in it, anyway." Ashlin begrudgingly agreed, though she continued to stare at him as if something on his face would reveal all of the answers. He had been honest. It wasn't something he particularly wanted to sort through at the moment. He wanted to will it all away as being a dream, but he knew that it was nowhere near that simple; the truth rarely was. It didn't take them very long after that to reach a cave, which was a welcome relief to the cold weather outside.

The cave looked huge, but there only appeared to be a straight, albeit winding, path for them to follow. There were areas where slabs of rocks were placed that made it seem that there might be more to the cave than they could see. As they followed the sole path, they encountered numerous fiends, particularly some of the largest Flan they had ever seen , the path ended as a long, bright lake stretched before them. Eyes immediately fell on Wakka, Tidus, Rikku and Ashlin. "There must be something up ahead. We'll need the four of you to go check it out for us," said Lulu.

"Duty calls," agreed Wakka with a grin.

"This isn't time to slack off," she said to him and him alone; a faint blush appeared on Wakka's cheeks. "If it proves too dangerous, come back."

Ashlin glanced at the lake, which was full of bright crystals and clear water. "In comparison to the Via Purifico, this is nothing."

"Here, here!" agreed Rikku as she fiddled with her bandage.

"The water might ruin your bandage," worried Yuna, "be careful."

Ashlin patted her pocket as the four of them stood at the water's edge. "I think I have a little more, we'll be fine." They simultaneously kicked off of the rock and down into the water. She knew that she was nowhere near as able in underwater ventures as the others, but she was still good enough to assist. The water continued beneath a low, rocky ceiling and into a completely new area; it was much longer than they had thought.

Still, the beauty of it was incredible. It was definitely a place to revisit. How unfortunate that Yuna would not be able to see even some of it. "We've got company," announced Wakka as he gestured below the water. A school of purple fish, which Ashlin did not really think were that much of a threat, was approaching them, and they dived to meet them. As she had thought, the fish were not dangerous, but that was not what Wakka had been referencing. Three much larger purple and blue fish broke through the school with their humongous teeth snapping at the smaller fish and eating some of them,

The fish likely weren't worth the trouble, which is what Wakka had thought as well, but they became forced into a battle with them once two shark-looking fiends with long horns blocked them in. Tidus gestured to himself and Wakka before pointing to the Maelspikes, leaving the girls to take care of the fish. Rikku moved swiftly through the water, easily evading the snapping jaws of the fish, and took down two of them in one hit. The third one gazed around for a moment before swimming up to Ashlin and Rikku and exploding on the spot, sending them to the bottom of the lake.

Meanwhile, the Maelspikes did a divide and conquer move that managed to separate Tidus and Wakka. The sharks followed after each of them, attempting to stab them with the horns jutting off their heads. Tidus swam away from the one tailing him before doing a flip in the water at the last minute, and stabbing his sword into its back. Wakka was not quite as lucky, receiving one of the horns in his calf as he swam away. With one of the Maelspikes out of the way, Tidus rushed to his aid, slashing it with its sword and rendering it into pyreflies. It was decided after the fact that it would likely be for the best if everyone fought together, and the fiends that attacked them for the remainder of the swim were easily deal , the lake thinned out and they pulled themselves onto dry land. The land was a thin strip, jutting out into a cliff overlooking the deep depths of the cave, but there was not much of interest in there. In this section, the cave felt coldest, though it could have also been due to the fact that they were dripping wet.

Something was hovering over the abyss, a bright light – perhaps a switch – protected by a rotating barrier of some sort. "Looks like this one's for you," remarked Tidus to Wakka.

"Is it a good idea to hit something without knowing what it does?" wondered Rikku as Wakka took aim at the orb. Tidus simply shrugged in reply; the girls hit their foreheads. Once the bliztball hit its mark, the cavern rumbled, but the ceiling had not caved in, so they took it as a good thing. Before returning to the water, Ashlin glanced at her shoulder where the bandage was sopping wet and hanging haphazardly. All it took was a simple pull for the whole thing to come apart and fall to the ground.

Rikku had done really well with dressing her wound, though it was very obvious that the skin was going to be badly scarred; an appropriate reminder, she thought. Beside her, Rikku did the same, but her injury was much less healed. "Should I redress it?" she asked the other girl.

The younger girl shook her head. "We'll be back soon anyway."

They returned to the water, Rikku wincing as the cool water touched her injury, and swam back to where the others were waiting for them. The water felt refreshing to Tidus, awakening him. In fact, it nearly made it possible for him to believe that the encounter with Bahamut _had _been a dream. Unfortunately, he was too smart to totally believe that. "Something in the cave has changed," observed Lulu.

"Access to other parts of the cave was blocked; the sound was likely those parts clearing," informed Auron. They returned to the entrance to see if this was correct and, on the way, Ashlin happened to remember something. She fell into step beside Yuna and pulled a shimmering blue sphere out of her pocket.

"Yuna, I nearly forgot. When Kimahari and I were climbing the mountain, we found this sphere. I thought you might like it." She handed over the sphere to a curious-looking Yuna.

Yuna turned the sphere over in her hand and found her father's name inscribed in the back. "Oh… Ashlin, thank you." Before she had the opportunity to view it, they reached the entrance and found a new section of the cave opened up.

Something began to rumble in close proximity to them, drawing everyone's attention. The ground trembled and quaked as something of gargantuan stature started for them. "What is that?" Tidus asked Auron.

"A Behemoth."

"A what?"

"You'll see." They drew their weapons with the full knowledge that the only one who had an idea of what the fiend looked like was Auron. The worse the ground shook, the closer they knew the creature was, until, finally, it appeared to them. It was absolutely huge in size, towering greatly over them, and had bright purple fur with two horns jutting off of the top of its head.

Tidus looked the creature up and down. "If we take care of it really fast, it probably won't hurt us too much," he pointed out.

"Really, your strategizing abilities amaze me, Tidus," commented Ashlin with a sly grin.

Impervious to her teasing by now, he shot back, "If that's the case, my fighting skills are gonna blow you away!" Tidus cartwheeled over to the Behemoth, as he had done numerous other times in battle, but it seemed like an exceptionally bad idea to do in front of a creature so large.

As if she was reading Ashlin's mind, Lulu cast a quick firaga spell on the creature, which temporarily distracted it long enough for Tidus to land a hit. Kimahari followed suit with Yuna casting holy on the fiend to distract it, while Auron and Ashlin went in for their attacks with Rikku. Infuriated by how outnumbered it was, despite its size, the Behemoth roared and flailed its arms around. "Watch out!" warned Yuna, expecting the fiend to land an attack on one of the others moving in to attack.

Instead, the Behemoth knocked into some of the rocky pillars that connected to the ceiling, while casting a thundara spell. The ground began to shake worse than before as rocks began to slide and smash down from the ceiling and onto the group below. "Yuna!" Tidus immediately threw his body over hers, using himself as a human shield for her as the rocks cascaded like raindrops. Wakka also attempted to shield Lulu from the rocks while Auron covered Rikku.

Neither Tidus nor Yuna dared to move until the crashing receded, at which point he helped her up. It then dawned upon them that they were trapped away from the others by a wall of rock piling from the ground all the way up to the ceiling. Yuna ran over to it and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Is everyone okay?"

"Lu and I are fine, but these rocks got us separated," answered Wakka.

From behind another section of the wall, Rikku called, "Auron and I got separated from you guys, too!"

"Kimahari okay. Kimahari also separated."

Ashlin answered last. "Same here."

"Lulu, Wakka, there should be stones in the form of a staircase behind you. If you follow the path, you should be outside. For the rest, find a way to get to the second floor and you will also come to the exit," ordered Auron.

"How are we supposed to do that?" asked Tidus.

"Improvise."

"Wait outside once you're out," added Lulu.

Yuna nodded. "Okay. Everyone be careful." She turned toward Tidus with a nervous smile. "Now what?"

Tidus looked around for a place for them to go, but the only path they could choose was the one that led to another section of the lake. "There's only one way for us to go. Maybe we can find another path if we swim a little further. Are you alright to swim?"

For a moment, Yuna flashed him a true smile. "Tidus, I grew up on an island, remember?"

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Right! Well, I'll cover you from the fiends in the water." They walked back toward the lake in silence until…

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Hm?" He stared at her.

If it was possible for Yuna to look sheepish, then that was her expression exactly. "It's just… Seymour, and then you passed out…"

"Hey, I'm totally fine now! Promise!"

"In that case… I'm glad you're okay. I was so worried." Tidus gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before they stopped at the water's edge and jumped in. The swim was nice - Yuna would have relished in it if they weren't in such a hurry - and the lake was beautiful. They weren't bothered by fiends for quite some time until, finally, a group of Maelspikes appeared beneath and began to rush toward them. "I'll take care of them. Stay here."

Tidus dived under the water to meet the trio of Maelspikes. He hadn't had a whole lot of luck with these things last time, but it was up to him to protect Yuna, so he swore to do a better job. The fiends, however, had a better idea. They tackled into him, snapping into his arms with their teeth and, when he thought of trying to give chase as he had earlier, three more blockaded him in. He dug into his pocket to see if he had anything left over from the Al Bhed Home but, before he had the chance, a sudden bright white light fell over three of the Maelspikes, and they promptly disappeared. When he looked around for his savior, somehow expecting one of the other guardians, he was surprised to see Yuna swimming down to join him.

Before he had time to react, she cast another Holy on the remaining Maelspikes, destroying them immediately. When they surfaced, he stared at her. "You…"

"You seem so surprised. I told you I could swim!"

"But—"

"Growing up with Wakka, I had to learn how to breathe underwater; he and Chappu always wanted me to practice Bliztball with them."

Tidus shook his head and leaned back in the water. "You amaze me more and more all the time."

**XxX**

The sudden force of Rikku throwing herself to the ground had reopened her wound, which was now bleeding profusely. She dug into her pouch only to remember that she had never bought any new bandages in the Calm Lands that day. "Ur, hu," she wailed as she made to use her hands to stop the blood flow.

Instead, Auron grabbed her hands so that she did not do so. "That will not help." He handed her bandages of his own but thought better of it and, instead, pulled her to her feet. He said not a word as he wrapped the bandage almost painfully tight around her waist. After that, he walked off, leading her to believe that they were going to search for an exit, and they continued in silence for a mere three minutes before Rikku could no longer stand it.

"So, um, about that wall of fayth…"

"She will be hoping to put Yuna's strength to the test, make sure that she is worthy of being in her presence."

Feeling as if she had missed part of the conversation, Rikku asked, "Who?"

"Yunalesca."

"Yunaesca?" echoed Rikku. "But she was the first one to defeat Sin, wasn't she? And that was a looong time ago!"

Auron chuckled dryly. "She is like Mika and the rest. Does this surprise you?"

Admittedly, it did not. "No, I guess not… but still! Is _everything _based in Yevon based on lies? That's one faulty religion!" Rikku locked her hands behind her back, temporarily satisfied that they were safe from any fiends as they followed a path that seemed to getting more and more inclined by the second. "Ooh, sorry. You're… Weren't you a monk, or something?"

"Indeed."

"But you don't seem very… into Yevon," observed Rikku as she stared at him. As she expected, his face didn't reveal a thing. "Is there a reason for that?" He did not answer. "Aw, come on! Give me something! You were a monk and you just… quit to join Uncle Braska? That just doesn't sound… right."

Rikku continuously brought up the same point over and over again after the point, forcing Auron to finally speak. "Alright, I will tell you just a little. After that, will you stop pestering me?" She nodded her head earnestly. He had never wanted to tell anyone the story before but, somehow, he didn't mind at the moment. "There was a point in my life where I was going to be offered a high-ranking job in Bevelle because of my work ethic and loyalty. However, that required… more, as it seems nothing can be done in Yevon without strings attached."

"And that was…?"

"I was to marry the daughter of a man who was of very high rank in the city. As it turns out, I was not chosen for the job because of my dedication but because of what I could offer – in this case, my hand in marriage."

Rikku's eyebrows knitted together. "But you're… You're not married, are you?" There was the slightest not of concern in her voice.

"No, I refused to marry her. Because of that, I became a disgraced, and my power stripped from me."

"But why didn't you marry her?"

_'This girl refuses to take the minimum, doesn't she?' _"I told you what you wanted."

"Oh, come on, _please_eee? Was she ugly? Was she mean? Was she stupid?"

Again, Auron relented. "No, she was none of those things. In fact, she was one of the most intelligent, breath-taking women I had ever seen."

"…Oh."

"Certainly, I did not want to get a higher rank just because of who I married; I wanted it based off my skill." He seemed uncomfortable when he added, "I wasn't in love with her, either."

Rikku perked up considerably. "Oh! Well, I understand." No, she didn't. "So you never ever thought of getting married after or before that?" She knew that she was entering into dangerous territory, but she simply couldn't resist.

"I was twenty-five after I was stripped of my title and joined Braska on his pilgrimage. There was no time after that."

_'Except ten years,' _thought Rikku, though she kept it to herself. "Before that?"

"Rikku." His voice had reverted to its authoritativeness, and she understood that she was to back off immediately.

Rikku thought about her own love life, feeling slightly disappointed at the thought alone but, at that point, would do anything to think about anything other than how close Zanarkand was. "I thought I wanted to get married once."

"Did you." He did not sound very curious, but that did not stop her from continuing. As long as he wasn't yelling at her to shut up, she assumed she was on a good path.

"Mmhm. There was this boy a few years back… He was great at assembling and taking apart machina, and he was even great at fighting! I was so impressed, and I thought I would have been lucky to marry him."

Auron chuckled ever so slightly, and it wasn't his usual humorless one. "You're too young to think about such things."

"Not true, I know plenty of people close to my age that are thinking about it or who have done it. With Sin, no one's ever sure that today won't… be their last."

Rikku was correct. In all areas of Spira, it was not uncommon to marry young because of Sin, but the thought of her marrying at the age of fifteen just seemed off-putting to him. He tried to shake the thought from his head, but it wouldn't go away once he thought it. However, after that, she was back to thinking about Yuna and remained blissfully quiet for the remainder of the trip while Auron tried – and failed – to clear his head.

**XxX**

Lulu and Wakka followed Auron's orders and soon found themselves on a pretty simple path that, they were hoping, would lead them straight out of the cave. "Hey, Lu, what do you think about Tidus saying his dad's Sin?"

She looked over at him and realized that the question was posed out of his concerns about Yevon. Though he had not cast aside it as Yuna had, his beliefs were shaking very badly. Too much had thrown him off. "I don't know, Wakka. Tidus has said much that didn't make sense in the beginning but now seems more or less likely."

"You talkin' about his Zanarkand?"

"Yes."

"So… you believe him?"

She smiled briefly. "You're his best friend. I'm surprised that you don't."

"It's not that I don't, but it seems… unlikely, right?"

Still smiling, she looked straight ahead. "So much that has happened seemed unlikely until we realized it was true. The machina in Bevelle's temple, us getting thrown into Via Purifico for telling the truth…"

"I guess that's true."

"Wakka, don't worry about it. Let's just concern ourselves with getting out of here and to Zanarkand in one piece. We don't need to concern ourselves with anymore: worrying about what will happen to Yuna is enough."

He nodded slowly. "I didn't think it would be this hard, you know. I never thought this would be _easy_, and I tried to forget about it once we agreed to be her guardians… But we're losing our kid sister."

"I know," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. "But Yuna has nerves and a will of steel. There's nothing we can do to change her mind; we never could."

"I just wish there was another way."

Lulu nodded, resting her hand on his arm for just a moment. "Me too, Wakka. Me too."

**XxX**

Ashlin was amazed, but it seemed that the Behemoth's little attack had, in addition to causing a rock slide, opened up some new passages. She followed several – finding them all to dead end – before returning and taking the final one. Unfortunately for her, this one did not go nearly as far back as the others and also curved into a dead end. "Vilg. Well, this is just perfect. Now what?" Auron had told them to improvise, but she could not very well do so without any magic or some type of weapon that she could use to tunnel through the walls. Something growled behind her, but the ground did not shake, so she was very pleased to turn and face whatever it was. A Grendel stood behind her, a cousin to the Dual Horn that had given her a hard time back at Home (with the exception that it was blue), with fire hissing out of its mouth.

If she couldn't use her own magic, then she would simply have to use the fiends. "Hey, ugly, hit me really, really hard with one of your fire balls! Come on, I'm not going to even draw my weapon."

Egging it on seemed to prove worthwhile as the Grendel immediately hurled a shockingly large fireball at her. Ashlin easily dodged it, and it soared into the wall behind her. The magic managed to make a decent-sized tunnel, but she needed it to go up to the second floor. She ran inside of the tunnel and continued, "Come on, is that really all you've got? Let's see what you've got!" Again, the creature fell for the taunt, and she pressed herself to the bottom of the makeshift tunnel while the fireball soared overhead. This time, it tunneled all the way through. "Ooh, that was so good I could kiss you, but… I'll definitely repress the urge." Very carefully, she climbed up the tunnel, spreading out her arms and legs like a spider when it became vertical in order to get all the way up, and was paid off by reaching a long path with a bright light shining up ahead.

Hoping that this was the exit and everyone was already outside, she ran out of the cave. The sun was only just now setting, casting an array of golds over the mountain. This part of Gagazet appeared to be much less cold, and, in fact, there was absolutely no sign of snow. She took in the warmth of the sun but became very nervous when she noticed no one else. Had they left? Were they still trapped?

The ground began to shake, and Ashlin turned away from the cave entrance to see what was coming up behind her. It shook worse than when the Behemoth had approached them, and she guessed that whatever it was had to be at least three times larger, which did not lift her spirits a whole lot. A large shape stepped out from beyond the mountain, making its presence known to her. It appeared to be a gargantuan grey dragon with humongous wings and, really, humongous everything. "Oh, dear." Ashlin unsheathed her sword, not that it would do much good. How well could she fight a dragon by herself?

The dragon seemed to agree with her by roaring loudly. Lulu and Wakka should have, in theory, already been outside. Where were they? The wings, which were separated into long, thin sections, rose straight over the dragon as bright lights emitted from the tips. _'That doesn't look good.' _Ashlin looked around, found a decent-sized boulder, and quickly threw herself behind it as bright rays of light rained down from the dragon's wings and cascaded onto the ground. The boulder and the ground took the bulk of the damage, sparing Ashlin from what could have been a very awful onslaught.

"Save some for Kimahari!" came a roar as the Ronso emerged from the cave with Lulu, Wakka, Auron and Rikku in tow.

"Thank goodness!" Ashlin emerged from the rock only for the Sanctuary Keeper to repeat the Photon Spray attack, forcing her to duck again and the others to retreat into the cave. "Where are Yuna and Tidus?" she asked, rejoining them once the attack was over.

"We haven't seen them," answered Lulu.

"They'll be fine," added Wakka.

Rikku nodded and pointed at the dragon. "I think we should worry about that big meanie first!"

"This couldn't possibly be worse than Evrae—" At the other's stares, Ashlin added, "What? I wasn't wrong about the lake, was I? If that was worse than the Via Purifico was for any of you, then you had a picnic in comparison to me."

The Sanctuary Keeper seemed determined to prove her wrong as it, without warning, whipped its tail out from behind it and swept it beneath their feet, knocking them all to the ground. Then, it quickly released the photon rays from its wings again, nailing absolutely everyone and cratering the ground. "Is this the thing that Yunalesca wanted to test Yuna with?" Rikku asked Auron, who nodded.

"That would be perfect if she were here. Can't you wait?" Ashlin asked the dragon.

Sanctuary Keeper concentrated a large ray of reddish light in its mouth before breathing it at the group. Even with ducking and covering themselves, everyone took a substantial amount of damage, especially Rikku, who continued to repeat "Ow, ow, ow" as the attack disintegrated her bandage and reopened her wound.

"I suppose it might have been a good idea for someone else to learn white magic as we did with black magic," observed Lulu who stood, her outfit somehow still appearing perfect.

**XxX**

Tidus and Yuna came to realize, after a while of swimming, that the lake never really seemed to end. It simply went on, and on, and on. It was not the hugest loss since there was an opening over part of it, but there was almost no way for them to reach it. "Aha!" cried Tidus, who had noticed a particularly large crystal jutting out of the water. "Now, if I could just stand on top of there and pull myself up, I could reach down and grab you."

The crystal had a very sharp point. "I really don't think that's a good idea, Tidus, you could really hurt yourself."

"Nah, that's nothing, watch…"

Yuna was already raising her rod. "Valefor can just fly us up. Really, it would probably be for the best." Tidus gave in and agreed. She waved the rod once, twice, and a bright light emitted from the ceiling as Valefor came soaring down to meet them. She hovered just above the water, lowering her beak so that Yuna could pat it. "Valefor, could you give us a lift?" The bird screeched and lowered her wings enough so that both of them could climb up. It wasn't easy, considering how wet they were, but Yuna managed to get on and seated herself just behind the neck.

Tidus gripped the feathers as tightly as he could, and Valefor didn't squawk about it, but he had a difficult time getting up. Once he was nearly to the top, Valefor took off into the next level, and Tidus' grip slipped. "Yu-!" Before the word left his mouth, Yuna was there, leaning over Valefor with both of her hands grasping his and tugging him up. "Thanks," he panted as the bird elegantly soared through the tunnel and over the fiends below. They reached the exit very quickly, and the two slid back to the ground before Yuna recalled her loyal aeon.

Outside, Sanctuary Keeper sprayed its photon attack over them once more but, this time, it had deadly effects. A good portion of the group became disoriented and confused by the attack and began to attempt to attack each other. **(Note: In-game, this was NOT one of the effects of the Photon attack.)** Wakka continued to throw his ball at the back of Auron's head and Lulu's Moogle doll continuously kicked Wakka in the foot while Ashlin swung her sword at Rikku, who attempted to claw Ashlin in return. Yuna and Tidus exited the cave just in time to see Kimahari and Auron attack the dragon while the others tried to kill each other. "What's going on?" asked Tidus, half-wanting to laugh as Wakka continued to throw his blitzball at the back of Rikku's head.

Yuna simply raised her staff, casting a spell over the others and freeing them from their confused states. Wakka threw his blitzball at Rikku, knocking her down, one last time before being cured. Rubbing the back of her head, she jumped back up and turned on the bliztball player. "Wakka! Why did you do that?"

"I didn't mean to!"

"Enough!" Auron's voice rang clear of authority, bringing them back to reality.

"That's something we'll want to avoid," decided Tidus.

"I'll take care of it," offered Yuna.

"As for the rest of us… Stick to your strengths. Rikku, mix together a bunch of stuff and throw it at that thing," advised Tidus. Rikku bent over and emptied the contents of her pouch, putting together items that she knew – or thought – would have interesting effects. They usually did with the exception of one particular mix that healed the dragon a decent amount.

Once the battle was over, everyone paused to catch their breath. "What was the purpose of that?" demanded Tidus.

"A test," answered Auron easily. The others stared at them. "Yunalesca wants to be sure that our summoner is worthy of her presence."

"Y-Yunalesca? She's alive?"

"As alive as Mika and Seymour," echoed Auron.

There was another stab in Yuna's beliefs as she nodded. "I see."

Rikku ran ahead to get a look at what lie beyond. "Maybe we should rest a little. We've been through a lot." No one saw through the thin excuse, least of all not Auron.

Yet, he decided to humor her. "No need, we reach Zanarkand soon."

"But, um… My stomach reopened, remember? I could use a break."

Auron smirked. "Then, keep to the back of the group and walk slowly."

"Aw, you big meanie! Come on, why do we have to rush it? You said it yourself: we're almost to Zanarkand. What's the hurry?"

Yuna understood immediately. "Rikku, thank you but… it's for the best that we keep pressing on."

"But we don't even have a plan yet," protested Rikku, mostly to Ashlin and Tidus. It was true. They had not had much time to think and now time was steadily running out. In fact, it was almost completely gone.

Ashlin shook her head. "You're right."

"We can't stop now. Come." Auron took to the path first, and, slowly, the rest followed.

Begrudgingly, Rikku also followed. "We'll just have to think on the way – fast. So, any ideas?"

Tidus and Ashlin shook their heads. "None, I still can't imagine a way around it," mumbled Ashlin. "Why? Why does the Final Aeon kill its summoner anyway?" She knew that neither of them could answer but felt better that she had the opportunity to say the words out loud. They walked in silence, but not for much longer. As soon as they walked away from the cave, the path opened up to reveal what lie waiting for them below.

The sight was absolutely breath-taking in an extremely tragic way. The sun was setting perfectly beyond the water below, glimmering on all of the ruined buildings that filled the area. "Zanarkand," breathed Ashlin as everyone froze in order to drink in the sights.

Tidus kept his eyes on Yuna, who stared intensely at the dead city below. It seemed almost ironic that the sun was setting as it appeared to parallel her life. They would, no doubt, reach the city before the sun disappeared and probably would make it to Yunalesca by nightfall. This was Yuna's last sunset. He wanted to reach out to her, to hold her, to tell her to run away with him again, but… In the end, Tidus knew it would do nothing. He played Bahamut's words in his mind over and over again, but they didn't help, either. He didn't want Yuna to die, nor was he supposed to allow it according to the fayth, but what more could he do? He felt so miserable.

Unlike him, Rikku voiced her thoughts. "Yuna, we could still go back, you know? It's not too late. If we go down there, then you'll… You'll…" She seemed to be fighting off tears.

"Rikku," began Yuna softly as she approached her cousin. "Thank you. I know it's taken you much strength to come this far with me, and I really appreciate it. You are truly brave."

_'Such irony,' _thought Ashlin as she watched the girls speak. _'It's true that it's taken Rikku a lot to get this far, but Yuna's marching toward her death without so much as batting an eyelash. That's true bravery.' _"So are you, Yuna."

Yuna smiled at them. "Thank you both. Rikku, please, tell Cid and Brother a huge thank you for me, alright? You… If it's too difficult for you, you don't have to come with."

Rikku shook her head. "You can tell them both yourself, Yunie. There's _got _to be another way. Something doesn't add up!" She could feel Auron's eyes burning holes into her back as he stared at her, which led her to believe, for a second time, that he knew more than what he let on. He had walked these steps with Braska; he had watched it all. Wouldn't he know if there was another way? Braska had been his best friend after all. _'Maybe… it's hopeless.' _Yuna moved forward and pulled Rikku into an abrupt hug. Something clattered to the ground in the process, but no one noticed.

"Thank you, Rikku," she repeated, holding her cousin for a long moment before finally releasing her. "But I have seen this moment coming for a long time, and I have to go through with it." She walked away, stopping briefly beside Kimahari. "Kimahari? Let's go." Yuna did not have to say what her intentions were for the others to understand; she wanted to get a head start so that she would have time to think to herself. The Ronso nodded, and they continued on while the others remained.

Ashlin bent down and picked up the thing that Yuna had dropped. "It's a sphere." The others already seemed to know what was on it before she had the chance to turn it on, and they continued ahead without saying a word. Rikku started after Auron. "Don't you want to see it?"

Rikku shook her head, seemingly still fighting back tears. "No, I think I've seen enough..." she mumbled before disappearing up the path with the rest.


	21. Farewell

**Chapter Twenty:  
**Farewell

**Note: Welcome to all of my new readers and, once again, thank you to my amazing reviewers. :D Though I'm sure you understand this by now, the italics, when used briefly, are thoughts. In the case below where it's a huge section, it's the sphere. Or, when they're in the Zanarkand dome, it's the memories of the people who had already traversed the area. **

**Disclaimer – I still don't own FFX. **

'_Light this like a happy scene.  
It's a set: it's all it takes  
To trick our eyes, and fabricate  
Honest, honest goodbyes.'_**  
-"The Things They Carried" by Vanna**

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* * *

**

Tidus and Ashlin looked at one another before engaging the sphere, which depicted the sunset over Mi'ihen Highroad_. _Yuna's voice spoke:_ "When I was little and Kimahari took me from Bevelle to Besaid, he told me that it was you who told him to do it, Sir Auron, that it had been my father's wish to move me away from there. I've always been so grateful for that, and I always wanted to see you again. I never knew I would be lucky enough for it to actually happen. Thank you for everything you've done for me, it's truly been an honor. I promise to make you proud, and I know that if you're watching this now, that means that I've defeated Sin. I hope that has made you proud._

_ "Kimahari… I owe you so many thanks as well. I remember… the day that we first met, don't you? It was just after my father had brought the Calm, and everyone was celebrating in the city. I was… both happy and sad. Very happy for the Calm but sad because…" She trailed off and, after a minute, giggled. "When I first saw you, I was so afraid. I met you in an empty part of the city at night, and you looked so frightening in the dark. You told me it had been a dying man's wish that you take me from Bevelle. And you knew… you could already tell how I felt. You promised to take me as far away as fast as you could." Another giggle, though much sadder than the first. "I think that was the first time I had been truly happy in a while. When you brought me to Besaid, I was still so afraid. I realized I couldn't be alone; I didn't know anyone anymore, and you were the only person I had left, so I begged you to stay… And you did. Thank you, Kimahari. I have no idea what I would have done without you over all these years. And, just so you know, I've always liked your broken horn. I think it's charming._

_ "Wakka…" The sphere showed Lulu and Wakka conversing near Rin's Inn. "You've always been like an older brother to me. You and Chappu were always so kind to me, teaching me blitzball and how to hold my breath. Wakka, thank you for everything. I could never forget you." Wakka walked away, leaving Lulu alone. "Lulu… Of course, you've always been like a sister to me. You used to do my hair when I was younger, remember?" She giggled. "And you played with me. As I got older and decided I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps, you and Wakka supported me the whole way. Well, okay… Not at first. I understand – I think I always did – that you cared about me so deeply that you didn't want to see anything bad happen to me. You two are true friends – no, true family. I don't think I could have made it without you – both through my childhood and my pilgrimage. And, Lulu, I appreciate that you've always guided me – even when you were scolding me! Even if I seemed to hate it, trust me, I was always thankful later that I had someone to look out for me like that." Ashlin walked out of the Inn, stretching her hands over her head, and joined Lulu, but the scene changed abruptly. _

_ The sphere had a perfect view of the Moonflow with the pyreflies floating over it as the sun set. Tidus and Ashlin were swimming out in the water, splashing at each other. "Ashlin. We haven't known each other for very long at all, but, already, I feel so close to you. Thank you for your words of confidence and, also, for helping me that morning after we stayed at the Inn on the Highroad. You barely knew me, and already you were helping me and… standing up to Dona. Thank you. And, for helping me admit to Sir Wakka that I was part Al Bhed, I must thank you, too. I admit, it's amazing to know that you knew my father, Sir Jecht, and Sir Auron, that you had such an impact on the three of them. I don't fully understand your past, but I don't need to. I simply want to wish you the best of luck once… Once we reach Zanarkand."_

_ Again, the scene changed. This time, it appeared to be very early morning on the Moonflow. Everyone, with the exception of Auron (and obviously Yuna), was asleep with Rikku lying on top of Ashlin. "Rikku, I can't believe that you're my guardian now, too! Thank you for joining me and making my group the lucky number, seven. It can't be easy, joining, I know but I appreciate it. I hope that you will stay with me until the end." The sphere shifted so that it was facing away from the group and focusing on the Moonflow, which still had pyreflies hovering over it. "Ah, I guess I can't put this off any longer, can I? Tidus, you're a fantastic Bliztball player. And I am so, so happy that we met. You are such… And I…" She trailed off and a little sigh sounded behind the sphere. "This is so difficult. I don't want to say goodbye to you, Tidus. You have been… one of the best additions to my guard, and I'm thankful that you joined me. I… I never imagined feeling like this. Maybe it's too bold to say something like this, but this feeling is wonderful. Sometimes, I feel like I can't catch my breath. Other times, I feel like I can't breathe, but I look at you and everything is okay again. I know, that sounds corny, but it's how I feel. I'm sorry; I truly wish we could be together but it… It would be impossible now, wouldn't it?"_

_ Yuna seemed to be debating with herself as the sphere continued to record the tranquil water. "Maybe I shouldn't say that, maybe it would be too much. Mm… By the way…" She whistled loudly and, all of a sudden, Tidus himself came running up behind her._

_With a grin, he asked, "Whatcha doin'?"_ The screen promptly turned black as the recording ended.

Ashlin, in real-time, looked over at Tidus, who was still holding the sphere and staring into it as if it would reveal answers to him. "Tidus?"

"I can't give up," he said in a voice barely above a whisper. "I just have to keep thinking." Without another word, he took off after the others, pocketing the sphere in the process. Ashlin followed behind them slowly, keeping her eyes on the city in the distance. There was something so off about the whole thing; she had a terrible feeling and, for some reason, it struck her that she felt she wouldn't be leaving Zanarkand.

Zanarkand, the beautiful city, the city that never slept, Jecht had told her and Aimee as children. The city that was always full of action. This Zanarkand was so obviously not the one that he had told her about – that she had _dreamed _about – that it almost made her heart ache, but it was beautiful in its own right. Tragically beautiful, maybe. She realized that it had not been Yuna's intention to release the sphere, and that it had just fallen out of her pocket when she hugged Rikku.

She realized something else, too. Everyone else, they _had _something, something to do, something more with their lives, but she… Ashlin fished in her pocket for her own sphere, one she had always held onto but never used. One of the only memories Ashlin actually had of her mother was receiving the sphere. In the forest, she had handed the sphere over to her. _"I want you to do lots of recordings while I'm gone. That way, when I get back, I can see how much fun you've had, and I can see how much you've grown up." _With a deep breath, she held the sphere in front of her. Yuna's sphere had a very sobering effect on her.

**XxX**

The group eventually reached the end of the mountain path and entered the dead city, which was completely empty of anything at all. Everyone was staring into the distance where a destroyed stadium of some sort sat. "I think we should rest now," mumbled Yuna, and no one disagreed. They walked further into the city and set up camp in the center. Before they sat down around the fire, Yuna suggested they put all of their weapons together in a pile.

_'When she said it, I didn't really get it…' _mused Ashlin as she stabbed Jaidan's sword into the ground and placed Aimee's gun beside it. She took a few steps backwards to examine all of their gathered weapons. _'Now I do. It's like a surrender thing. A cease and desist. It looks good; actually, it makes me feel oddly well.' _She sat beside Rikku, whose head was in her hands, for a few minutes, but the silence was too much. Everyone refused to sleep but, at the same time, also refused to speak. Ashlin stood back up and walked further into Zanarkand, eventually stopping at the water's edge and staring at the pyreflies gathered in the distance. She recalled her own words to her Unsent friend: _"I thought, maybe, if I ever came face to face with Sin and killed it… you guys would appreciate it, like you were there with me."_

But Jecht was Sin. Aimee and Jaidan would have never wanted to kill Jecht, especially since he was not responsible for their mothers' deaths. "Jai, Ai, this is the last time I'm going to speak. I was wrong about having parts of you helping me defeat Sin because that's not what any of us would want. But Jecht needs to be freed, so I'm definitely going to help defeat him still, somehow. I've… made my mind up about some things." Ashlin started as footsteps joined her own. "Yuna?"

Yuna stood beside her – and Ashlin was unsure of how much, if any, the other girl had heard – and held a sphere before the both of them. Braska was standing on snowy Mount Gagazet with Auron and Jecht wandering around behind him.

_"Hello, Yuna. I hope that this sphere manages to find you someday, though if it does not it may be for the best." He wore a weak smile. "I wonder, as you watch this, how old you are. I bet you're a lovely young woman, just as beautiful as your mother. For making it this far, I must truly congratulate you and admit that I admire you. Even knowing your fate, you're such a brave girl. Yuna, I met two children about your age in the Calm Lands. Seeing them… made me want to return to you right away; I had truly wanted to. But I knew that I could not, so, instead, I did what I could for the both of them. They are how you will soon be, I'm afraid: orphans. Only, they have the love of their brother. I hope that you have found someone like that for yourself. Sin has taken away their parents as well and, because of that, it just makes me more confident that I want to make the world safer for you; I want to bring you the Calm._

_ "Those children brought out a side of Jecht I'd never seen before. Even Auron seemed somewhat changed by the encounter." Braska chanced a glance over his shoulder where Auron and Jecht appeared to be fighting in the distance; he chuckled. "Ah, it has been a truly enlightening, entertaining journey. I'm thankful that I was able to have so much laughter on my pilgrimage. Auron and Jecht send you their well wishes, naturally. It hasn't been an easy journey – walking away from you was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do – but I am… at peace with my choices. I hope that, as you watch this, you can say the same. It is not my path that you have to follow, though I imagine it might be the one you choose nonetheless. I just want you to know that I am behind whatever choice you make. I know that you've grown into a lovely, strong woman, and I have no concerns about anything you choose. Do what is right by you, and never give up. I love you, Yuna. Know that I am always with you. Good luck." _

Once the sphere clicked off, Ashlin looked to Yuna. "You didn't have to show me that, you know."

"I know," she agreed. "I just wanted you to know that, despite the short amount of time you spent with my father and his guardians, you had a large impact on them. Much the same way you've had with me, though in a much larger way. I know what's happened to you now," she added with an almost apologetic expression which told Ashlin that Tidus had told her, "everything. I was sure that whatever was in this sphere might help you, too."

Ashlin stared at her for another moment before laughing and looking back toward the water. "That's just… so funny."

"Hm?"

"It's funny that you would want me to feel better about myself when you're in so much pain. You are an amazing person, Yuna, just like your father. You're so selfless. I am proud to have met you." The sun was steadily disappearing behind the water. "We should get back and rest, I guess." Yuna agreed and they slowly returned to the others, who were still not moving or talking. They sat and rested and remained in silence for a while before Tidus began talking and talking about nothing.

Once the sun disappeared completely and the sky became dark, it was decided that they needed to get a move on. There was no reason to prolong anything any longer. Everyone gathered their weapons, Ashlin flipping the gun up and down in her hand as they walked. "'ey, watch that thing, huh?" complained Wakka, worried, as he glanced over his shoulder at her.

"Trust me, this thing can hardly be accounted for to go off, least of all on accident," she mumbled but put away the pistol nonetheless. The water was much more beautiful at night and even more pyreflies seemed to gather over it. Ashlin glanced into the water, playing with the idea of just tossing the machina; she could wait for the sword until everything was over. Everyone paused as they reached the temple where Yunalesca must have been lying in wait; it resembled the stadium in Luca though, obviously, in great disrepair. "Is this… A…?"

"…The Blitzball stadium. They really nailed it all down to a tee," mumbled Tidus.

Ashlin stared at him. "What?"

"Nothing." They entered the stadium, which was filled with debris and was practically missing the entire ceiling. The greatest amount of pyreflies that any of them had ever seen floated around the stadium, the area absolutely covered with them.

"This place is like one giant sphere. The pyreflies... replay the memories of those who have treaded the ground here," remarked Auron in a strange way. He almost sounded navigation part of it did not seem too complicated as there seemed to be about one path that wound around and into a higher part of the stadium that led into another part of the stadium. However, there was a lot of debris and fallen columns and whatnot that forced them to tread carefully as they walked.

Eventually, they came to a higher part of the stadium where something was already waiting for them. Ashlin expected it to be a fiend but was reminded that Auron had said that the pyreflies would replay the memories of those who had already traversed the area. The image was of a young boy with short, icy-blue hair that had familiar-looking bangs. He was cowering as he stared straight ahead of him. _"Mother, I don't want to lose you! I don't want you to turn into a fayth if it means that I have to lose you!" _

A pretty and equally translucent woman with long black hair walked up from behind him. _"You must use me to defeat Sin. Seymour, if you do so, the Guado will accept you, and you will be able to return to where you belong at last."_

Young Seymour rubbed his wet eyes on the back of his sleeve. _"No, I don't care about them! They haven't done anything for me! I don't want to lose you!"_

A sad smile was on the woman's face. _"It is too late for me, Seymour. This is the only way, now, so you won't end up alone." _

"'Use me and become Sin'?" repeated Ashlin. "What exactly does that mean?" No one answered because no one else knew.

Wakka was more preoccupied with other things. "But that was Seymour! I didn't know he was ever a Summoner!"

"So young," breathed Lulu with something of awe.

"The people couldn't accept Seymour once he was dead. Didn't they know that?" asked Tidus.

Auron shrugged. "Perhaps not."

"Maybe it was the idea that the Guado would think Seymour was worthy of being called one of them. Dying for a great cause would have changed their minds about him though, apparently, he didn't need to do that for that to happen," remarked Ashlin before dropping her voice a few octaves. "So maybe that's why… Seymour had wanted me to come with him to Zanarkand."

Wakka crossed his arms over his chest. "But why would he want to come back?"

Ashlin chewed on her lip. "I don't know." They continued onward, crossing over a makeshift bridge, when a breeze blew right through them. Tidus, running at the front of the group, froze as the ghostly images of Braska, Jecht and Auron ran on ahead of him.

The three men stopped and Jecht looked impatient. _"Braska, you don't have to do this. I mean, it's not too late—"_

Braska, however, shook his head. _"No. Jecht, I appreciate your looking out for me, but this is what I must do."_

Scowling, Jecht crossed his arms over his chest. _"Alright, I said what I had to say."_

_"Well, I haven't."_ Auron stared intensely at his summoner. _"Lord Braska, we can turn around, we can go back to Bevelle. Yuna does not have to be without her father. I can't just stand here and watch you…"_ Auron, who had never struggled with words before, faltered. _"…Die."_

_ "It's inevitable, Auron. You and I have both known this all along."_

_ "That doesn't change anything. It certainly does not make it any better."_

Braska chuckled. _"Thank you, Auron. I am touched to know that you care for me in such a way, but… isn't a little grief worthy if it spares so many more lives? Think about those orphaned children. They might grow up in a slightly better world if Sin were to be eliminated." _

_"I_ _understand, but—"_ protested Auron.

_"No, Auron, I truly need you to understand what I am saying. I need you to be with me. Yuna… I know she will not be alone."_ Braska decided as he turned his back on his guardians and continued onward. _"Come."_

The spectrals faded, but Auron did not allow anyone the opportunity to question him. Instead, he followed in the footsteps of his past self. The path ended quickly after that, leading them to a lovely staircase. It seemed that they had caught up with Braska and his guardians, who were standing at the top of the staircase. Jecht was not altogether pleased with the appearance of Zanarkand, least of all the dome. _"More trials up ahead, huh? Can't we catch a break? Here of all places, I expected crowds of people with fireworks and women crying!"_

A faint smile appeared on the summoner's face. _"Once I defeat Sin, you might think to ask for them. It likely would not be very difficult."_ And, once again, the trio disappeared down the staircase ahead. When Yuna and the others reached the end of the staircase, they found themselves in a small room with a lone door and a tiled floor.

"Trials, great," mumbled Ashlin with much the same enthusiasm that Jecht had. "No clues on how to do it, either." They all poked around the room and Auron watched them for several minutes before walking into a corner of the room, pulling a panel off of the wall, and pressing some type of switch; the door flew open.

"You just like to watch us suffer, huh?" groaned Tidus.

The next room was a good deal bigger but still resembled the previous quite a bit. There was a screen on the northern wall and pedestals on both the west and east parts near the walls. Again, they poked around, but they figured out the puzzle much easier this time around by aid of the screen. They had to step on certain areas of the floor in a certain order. It really was not too much of a challenge but, between Rikku and Wakka, they had to restart about three times before finally nailing it. A giant square in the center of the floor with six different sections began to glow and each of them stood on one of the panels with the exception of Ashlin and Rikku, who were forced to share a single panel because there were only six.A bright light emitted before their eyes, and they disappeared from the room, beginning to float in what looked like nothingness.

Something floated up from beneath them with long, stretching wings. It was difficult to classify the creature, which somewhat resembled a wyrm, with its long body and strangely-shaped arms that jutted out at an odd angle. For the most part, they were focused on its lethal-looking claws and hooked tail. "Never a dull moment, huh?" sighed Ashlin as the creature roared in their faces.

"Another test," stated Lulu.

Rikku was surprisingly focused away from the Spectral Keeper and was peering over the edge of her platform. "I wonder what would happen if we fall?"

"Don't?" suggested Tidus in turn. The fiend flicked its tail, lifting it with ease, and whipped it at him all in a single sweep. Tidus jumped over it just in time to avoid being knocked over.

Yuna raised her rod. "I'll summon." No one had to step back or move since they were all separated, anyway. She held it directly in front of her as a wind kicked up, lifted it slightly behind her and raised it above her head as an indigo light emitted from it. The light floated up, transforming into flower petals, and, for a moment, the group was greeted by actual scenery, a full moon in a silvery sky as a cherry blossom tree appeared. Blossoms fell around them all as a barking sounded, and Yuna turned to find the dog from the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth running out from behind the tree and running behind her. With a soft smile, she bent down and patted it on the head just as a hulking figure, Yojimbo, also appeared and called the dog to his side. The night scenery reverted to the purple nothingness, and a rock appeared out of nowhere to provide Yojimbo and Daigoro with a platform of their own. "Clear our path," mumbled Yuna to her aeons.

A portal appeared near Yojimbo's feet as he pulled an ornate-looking katana out of it before leaping off of the rock and slashing at the Spectral Keeper, which promptly attacked before the hit landed. The platform that Yojimbo (but now just Daigoro) had been standing on exploded as a mine went off and the dog disappeared into pyreflies as its owner sliced the fiend. Spectral Keeper emitted a deep, guttural growl as Yojimbo fatally wounded it. For its final attack, all of their platforms exploded from more mines, and they suddenly found themselves back in the previous room. "That hurt..." complained Rikku, who had (like the others) fallen over and was rubbing her back.

"I guess it's a good thing that we got Yojimbo after all, though, huh? He destroyed that thing," said Ashlin.

Tidus looked at his pocket and sighed. "Too bad we have to pay him every time we use him."

"It was _so _worth it," replied Ashlin.

Once they calmed down, they noticed the octave surrounded by the lights they had been standing on during the fight was emitting a strange light: it was a lift. Auron looked to Yuna and nodded at it. "Go."

"By... by herself?" asked Rikku, who was obviously concerned that another fiend would show up and attack while Yuna was on her own.

"She will be fine, go, Yuna," he added, and she stepped onto the lift, which began its descent. She kept her eyes on her feet the entire time as she held the rod close to her.

Ashlin stretched and leaned back on her heels. What should they do? What could they do? Now would have been the perfect time to hash out a plan with Rikku and Tidus, but she couldn't think, not at all. Yuna would lose herself very soon now, and her mind refused to come up with answers. It was absolutely frustrating. However, before she had time to even walk over to the other two, the lift returned and an anxious-looking Yuna was facing them. "Sir Auron, everyone, come quickly!"

Tidus ran over to her immediately, pulling out his sword in the process. "What's wrong?"

Simply shaking her head, she said, "Come with me." Everyone squeezed onto the lift with her and entered the Chamber of the Fayth below. The room looked the same as it usually did with the statue of the fayth covered by some type of protection in the center of the room. Ashlin did not understand the problem, but, then again, she was not a summoner.

"It's an empty statue. There's no fayth here," breathed Yuna. Rikku looked like she might weep with joy. The wall behind Yuna began to glow and an older man walked up behind her, resulting in everyone drawing their weapons.

"The statue lost its power quite a long time ago. This is the statue of Lord Zaon, and his soul has left."

Wakka looked around earnestly. "It's... it's gone? But...!"

Rikku only sort of tried to hide her relief. "There's no Final Aeon?"

The old man shook his head. "However, there is still a way to obtain it. Lady Yunalesca will be able to help." In all of the excitement since defeating the Sanctuary Keeper, Ashlin had nearly forgotten that Auron had said Yunalesca was in Zanarkand. There was something very, very strange going on, and the pyreflies floating around the man's body merely confirmed her suspicions.

Tidus did not look at Auron as he spoke. "You knew about this, didn't you?"

"Of course he did, how could he not? He was here ten years ago. Unless this whole thing," Ashlin gestured to Lord Zaon's soul-less statue, "is new?"

"Lord Zaon's statue lost its power a long time ago," repeated the man as his body disappeared.

"But why didn't you say something?" asked Rikku.

"It would have made no difference."

Yuna was facing the glowing wall the unsent had walked out of. "True enough. I've come this far..."

"No one really expects you to go back, Yuna," mumbled Ashlin. _'But I can't help but feel the worst it has yet to come.' _

Kimahari moved beside Yuna. "Kimahari keep Yuna safe. Kimahari go first and make sure it safe." He walked through the wall first and everyone followed behind.

The new room was quite grand, filled with pyreflies, and solely consisted a staircase that led up to some unknown location. Through the silence, the footsteps of another sounded loudly as someone appeared at the top of the staircase. A scantily clad woman with long, wild hair that was as white as the snow covering Mount Gagazet stopped at the very edge of the staircase and surveyed those in the room. "Welcome to Zanarkand, Summoner Yuna. I see that you have... quite the following of guardians. It only makes sense why you are the one to make it here. Though, I know, you have proven yourself quite a brave, strong and able summoner in your own right." Yunalesca smiled, for very briefly, at Yuna. "Now, then, I shall grant you what you have come so far to receive. The Final Summoning shall be yours. All you simply must do is choose."

"'Choose'?" echoed Ashlin.

Yunalesca walked down the stairs, her hair and outfit giving her an air of grace as she did so and paused before them. "Yes, you must choose the one I will change into the fayth of your Final Summoning." Horrified gasps filled the room. "There must be a bond, of course, between the two of you: A strong one, such as the bond between lovers, mother and child, or close friends. Only if the bond is strong will you be able to defeat Sin. A thousand years ago, I choose my husband as my fayth and our bond rang true, allowing me to obtain the Final Aeon and defeat Sin."

"You... you want me to sacrifice one of my guardians?" breathed Yuna, and Rikku was so sure that _this _would be the final straw, the one that made her give up the pilgrimage.

Yunalesca smiled a little more warmly at Yuna this time. "Fear not, you will be liberated from the pain of your choice soon enough. Once you call the Final Aeon, which will defeat Sin, then you will be no more. You shall be freed from your sorrow." Everyone's thoughts drifted to Seymour, who had said very similar things to them over time. "Death is the ultimate liberation. Your father chose this path as well. Once you have made your choice, come see me." The lady returned up the stairs and disappeared behind the door beyond.

Once she did, it seemed to trigger memories. The translucent forms of Auron, Braska and Jecht appeared before them, Auron appearing anguished, obviously just hearing the same news as the rest of them. _"It is not too late! We can go back!" _he repeated from before.

Braska, however, was staring at the area that Yunalesca had disappeared and shook his head_. _He seemed just as disturbed about the news._ "If I turn back, who will defeat Sin? Would you prefer some other summoner and his guardians do the same?"_

Auron seemed completely uncaring about any other summoner. _"There must be another way. We can deliberate, figure out a plan..."_

Jecht, however, was right behind Braska in both a figurative and literal sense. "_There ain't no more time, this is all we've got."_ He nodded to himself, confirming some sort of thought in his head. _"Alright, then. Make me the fayth. My dream... I wanted to get back to the other Zanarkand, make that kid into a star blitz player, you know? But I get it now. There's no way back for me, and... it's about time I do somethin' useful if I can't make my dream come true. Make me the fayth and I'll fight Sin with you, Braska."_

Auron was beside himself_. "Jecht, don't. If you love... There could be another way back to your Zanarkand! We can think of something, another plan to defeat Sin, but we just have to sit here and think!"_

Jecht chuckled, a handsome sound_. "I've given this a lot of thought."_ His words paralleled the thoughts running mercilessly through Ashlin's mind. _"I wanna give my life meaning if I can't do it by making that runt a star."_

_"Jecht..."_ Braska's voice was unsure.

_ "You gonna try to stop me too?"_

Braska chuckled_. "No, no, I'm sorry. Thank you, Jecht."_

Jecht turned toward Auron, his face perfectly serious, which completely ruined Ashlin's memory of the goofy man_. "Auron, Braska still has to get to Sin. Keep him safe and make sure he gets there in one piece. Ready?"_ he added to the summoner, who nodded, and they started for the stairs.

_"Wait!"_ They stopped.

With his hands resting behind his head in a very Tidus-like fashion, Jecht turned back to him. _"What now?"_

_"Sin always comes back. After every Calm, it returns without fail! Your deaths will mean nothing! Think of Yuna, think of Tidus!" _

_"This could be the time when it does __not __come back. I must hold onto that hope __for __Yuna. Even if it does not... I want her to grow up peacefully." _Auron opened his mouth, no doubt to argue this point, but closed it as he realized the uselessness.

Jecht nodded. _"I'll figure out a way to break it this time, Auron. And... about the kid. He's a crybaby, you know?"_ But his words were lost as the three men disappeared, quite suddenly and shockingly as Auron ran up to them and repeatedly sliced his katana through the ghosts of his past. No one commented about it because everyone else was busy arguing about the Final Summoning.

Everyone stared at one another, except for Yuna. As they spoke at one another, she remained perfectly quiet. "Sin's just gonna come back, you know? We shouldn't have to lose two people just for it to start all over again!" protested Rikku.

Tidus spoke next. "This is stupid, a set up! There's gotta be another way, I just gotta think—"

"In case you haven't noticed, we're here, at the very end," pointed out Lulu. "There is no more time. This is inevitable now, and there's nothing we can do." She nodded to herself. "And, in that case, I've decided that I will become Yuna's Final Aeon."

Wakka shook his head. "I'll do it, I want to."

Tidus stamped his foot impatiently. "But it won't change anything!"

"Listen… Tidus, I get it. No one wants to see Yuna die, ya? But… if you want Sin to go away, if you want the Calm to come, then Yuna can't stay alive. You can't have it all."

"I don't care, it's what I _want_."

Lulu quirked an eyebrow at him. "You sound like a child. As I said, I will become the aeon. It's the least I can do for Yuna."

"No." Ashlin spoke, not quite yelling like the other three, but fiercely enough that she was heard. "Everyone here has something. Lulu and Wakka have each other." The two looked away from each other, light shades of pink coloring their cheeks. "Rikku has her family and the rest of the Al Bhed. Home might be gone, but they can rebuild. Auron has all of his wisdom and his strength – really, him dying would be a waste. Kimahari is a strong Ronso, the last Ronso, and he definitely can't forfeit his life. And Tidus is amazing and a wonderful blitz player. So, that leaves me. I have nothing left, and I haven't proven myself to be a very able guardian. I want to do this for you, Yuna. I owe you, and I definitely owe Braska." Yuna finally looked up and their eyes met.

"Yunie, you're not going to actually go through with this, are you?"

Tidus once more: "I can't let this end this way. This is my story, and I'll do what I have to further it. I'll talk to Yunalesca. There's definitely something fishy going on around here—"

Yuna did not speak, merely shook her head. "This is my story just as well as it's yours. I've come this far, and I can't walk away now. I never would have imagined something like this, having to sacrifice a dear friend…"

"It's for the best," reassured Ashlin. "Please, let me do this for you."

The summoner turned around and looked up at the staircase leading up to Yunalesca. "Let's go, Ashlin."

"What?" demanded both Tidus and Rikku. "But…"

Before following, Ashlin turned to Rikku and put something in her hand. Tidus and Rikku were not pleased to see that it was a sphere. There were questions in their eyes and on their lips, but she didn't allow them to be asked. Ashlin followed Yuna up the staircase, unable to quite believe what was happening. She had been planning on tossing both of the weapons after Sin, but she supposed that now she did not need to. "This is brave of you," noted Yuna quietly.

"No, this is much less brave than what you've been doing. If you could traverse all of Spira knowing what awaited you at the end, then I can take the few steps it takes so that I might be able to show some degree of your strength." The staircase led them onto a roof with a perfect view of the night sky. Yunalesca turned around with a smile on her face.

"Ah, so have you chosen the one you will take as your Final Aeon?"

Yuna nodded to her namesake. "Yes, however… I have a question for you."

Yunalesca, still wearing the patient smile, nodded. "Of course."

"If we do this, will Sin return?"

"Ah, but of course. Sin is eternal. After ten years of the Calm, he – or, in this case, she—" added Yunalesca with a nod to Ashlin that the latter did not understand, "will return. Every aeon that defeats Sin becomes the newest Sin."

**XxX**

Rikku turned toward Tidus with a desperate expression. "What're we gonna do? What're we gonna do? We can't let them go!"

"I... I can't think of anything," mumbled Tidus.

"Rikku, Tidus, it's over. Just give up. Yuna still has time, ya? We have to take her to Sin ourselves. Ashlin-"

Rikku shook her head vigorously. "Don't say it because I won't let it happen!" She turned around and strode over to Auron. "You were here with Uncle Braska, and you knew, you _knew _that this was going to happen. How could you not say anything? This is so wrong! Even _you _thought it was wrong when he did it!"

"This is Yuna's story, and she must write it as she wishes. It is not up to me to tell her what to do."

"But all you had to do was say _something_!" The others watched as Rikku, who rarely yelled, stood directly in front of the legendary guardian and chastised him as if he wasn't much more intimidating or towering in his height over her. And Auron, who had never been yelled at anyone (because he certainly would not have allowed it), permitted her to shout in his face. "If I had known this, then-"

"-What? What would you have done?" His tone was no different than usual.

"W-well, I would have..." Rikku dropped her arms to her side and lowered her eyes to the ground, which relieved Auron as them burning holes into his face was not making it easy to not feel guilty. "I don't know... I don't know what I would have done. I might have seen it coming, what Ashlin was going to do."

Lulu spoke lightly, almost gently. "Even if you had told her not to do it, she would have. If you managed to convince her otherwise, I would have simply taken her place."

"Then I would have talked _you _out of it because this... isn't right...!" Rikku turned from Lulu back to Auron. "You _lied _to me." She said the words as if the action were a particularly unspeakable crime.

"How so?"

"Well..." Rikku's eyes screwed up as she recalled what Ashlin had told her about her conversation with Auron beneath Lake Macalania. "'Omission is a form of deception'." She quoted at him.

Again, Auron could feel himself becoming slightly abashed, though he did not think he was very deserving of such a feeling. He had made no promises to tell Rikku - or anyone, for that matter - of such things. He was the last person in the world who wanted to revisit Zanarkand, let alone to see _Yunalesca_. Though he was about to voice his thoughts, he recalled that Ashlin had not necessarily needed to tell a thing about her past, either, though he had insisted it was for Yuna's safety that she did. The two situations weren't that different, were they? "I think Rikku's _got _to him," whispered Wakka to Lulu with shock as they watched Auron silently standing and thinking while the girl glared up at him.

"Who would have guessed," she replied in turn.

"You didn't think it was right when Jecht became the Final Summoning, do you think it is for Ashlin? You didn't think it was right for Uncle Braska to die, do you think it is for Yunie?" Rikku had calmed down quite a bit, but her voice still held uncharacteristic fierceness.

And then, much to everyone's surprise, he replied: "No, I do not." His eyes seemed to be far away, no doubt thinking about his previous visit to the particular chamber.

"Then, what are we doing, standing around here? We have to go and stop them before it's too late!" shouted Tidus, revitalized by Rikku's onslaught of words and Auron's obvious uncertainty about the entire business.

"And, what, fight Lady Yunalesca?" asked Wakka sarcastically. Tidus was staring at him. "...Aw, you gotta be kidding me! Isn't everything else we've done enough?"

However, Lulu did not disagree. "Perhaps not fight her, certainly not, but we could try to change Yuna's mind."

Rikku and Tidus looked over to her, their faces the perfect pictures of shock. "You... You want to try to change her mind?" echoed Rikku.

"I thought you said it was too late?" added Tidus.

Lulu adjusted the Moogle. "Hm. Well, I don't want Ashlin or Yuna to die, either. We could see if Lady Yunalesca knows of another way."

Rikku and Tidus stared at one another, unable to believe their luck. If Lulu was on their side as Auron obviously was... "What're we waiting for? Let's go!" Tidus made a beeline for the stairs and never looked back to see if the others were following suit.

**XxX**

Ashlin chewed on her lip as she mulled the idea over. "I thought that Sin was created as punishment for using machina. I thought that if the Yevonites were to repent, then Sin would go away?"

"Indeed, but is it truly possible for humanity to ever reach such a pure state? After all, look at your fellows. They use machina, do they not?"

"But that's not the same—"

Yunalesca was becoming impatient. "But of course it is. Now, are you ready? I promise, it won't hurt much. Yuna, you are not to use your aeon until you face Sin. Once you do, the aeon will defeat Sin and you will perish."

Vigorous footsteps sounded behind them as the rest of the guardians joined them, and Tidus shouted "No!" in unison with another.

Auron's ghostly form stepped in front of Ashlin and Yuna and a ghostly Yunalesca appeared before the real one. _"How could you say such a thing? Braska lived – and died – by the teachings. Despite everything that was thrown in his path by devout Yevonites, Braska continued onward until he reached this point. He only did that because he truly believed in Yevon! And Jecht, he… believed in Braska so much. He trusted him. That is why they made their decision."_

The ghostly Yunalesca was patient, though her true annoyance began to shine through the façade. _"They made their decision; they opted for their deaths because they had hope. Perhaps somewhat misplaced, but it was their hope to change the world._"

The younger Auron shook his head and yelled something incoherent. _"But you know the truth, don't you? There is no point in repenting because there is nothing to repent for. The pilgrimage is just a joke to you, and you get to dictate the lives of others. I refuse to believe that Jecht and Braska died for nothing!" _Auron surged at her with his katana raised, and Yunalesca looked truly annoyed now.

_"You fool; you have brought this upon yourself. It could have been so easy for you, you could have gone back to your life, but you simply choose to live in the past!"_ Yunalesca flicked her wrist and a bright ray of light shot from her and pierced into Auron's chest. He didn't stand a chance and went flying back, his katana clattering to the ground.

The true Yunalesca was wearing a smile, pleased at the memory. "Ten years ago, you made that fatal mistake, yet you return with a new summoner, and not just any summoner but the daughter of _your _summoner."

"I made a promise," growled Auron in return, truly pissed.

"Yuna, it is time. Step forward with the one who will become your fayth." Instead, Yuna tightened the grip on her rod and Ashlin withdrew her sword. "…Hm?"

Shaking her head, Yuna said, "I will not give false hope to Spira. Yevon has told many lies, but this is the most tragic. When I thought there was something I could do for Spira, then I was more than willing to give up my life. To know there's no chance that sacrificing myself and my friend will change a thing… This is a tradition that must be ended." Everyone else drew their weapons.

Yunalesca's face was steadily transforming from a thing of beauty into one of true ugliness, and her body was beginning to glow with pyreflies. "This is a tradition that brings hope to millions! Your father, too, believed in ending Spira's sorrow, yet you are too selfish—"

"I am not selfish. Believe me when I say that I would do anything for the people of Spira. My father wanted to truly get rid of Spira's sorrow, not just cover it up with bandages. He believed in hope, not lies."

Yunalesca chuckled. "Sorrow is a permanent fixture. There is nothing you can do to end any sorrow. Look at you, all of you. You all have deep sorrow in your pasts that still make you sorrowful today. That will never go away."

"We will always carry the sorrow with us, but we would never allow it to consume us. That is what Sin's sorrow does: it is all-consuming. Once Sin is gone, the sorrow will never truly be forgotten, but it _will _be gone," argued Lulu.

Yuna nodded, resting her hand over her heart. "I… loved my father dearly. To know that he died for nothing, despite thinking that he died for _everything_, is something I will have to carry with me forever. But I will live with my sorrow, never allowing it to get the better of me, but also never forgetting it. He wished to end sorrow, not to simply put it off temporarily, and I will do that for him, for all of us. However, I cannot stand by and allow more lies to rule Spira; I will not allow false hope to continue to dominate."

Yunalesca slowly shook her head, her lips set in a thin line. "Foolish creature. You would sacrifice the rest of us Spira; you would take away their hope."

"I am not taking away their hope: I will find a way to defeat Sin once and for all."

Something strange was coming off of Yunalesca's back, resembling black wings. "So very foolish… I will rescue you from your sorrow before it consumes and destroys you. It is much better to die than to have to live in deep, darkening despair." Yunalesca's words hit a chord in Ashlin's brain. Ashlin… she had been willing to sacrifice herself for Yuna and the others, that was true, but also because she could not stand to live in sorrow, knowing nothing had changed for her. Ending her life in such a way was foolish and irresponsible. It was hardly brave at all.

Auron took to the front of the group with his katana at the ready. "Now, this is it! Now is the time to choose: die and be free of pain or live and fight your sorrow! Now is the time to shape your stories! Your fate is in your hands!" **(A/n: Obviously the actual quote from the game: best one in the entire thing. :]) **

Kimahari raised his spear. "Yuna need Kimahari help. Kimahari always help Yuna, protect Yuna!"

Rikku, relieved that Yuna would not be giving up her life, nodded and pumped her fist into the air. "I'm fighting!"

Wakka put his hand on his forehead. "I can't believe we're gonna fight Lady Yunalesca; this is the wrongest of the wrong."

Lulu adjusted the doll in her arm and raised an eyebrow. "You can always run away?"

"Run away? Me? Hah! I won't ever run away from anything, how could I forgive myself? I'm Yuna's guardian, and I'm definitely not gonna run away now!"

She smiled. "I couldn't have said it better myself."

Ashlin nodded. "I'll learn to live with my sorrow. Let's do this!"

Tidus stepped beside Yuna. "Yuna, this is _our _story! We'll end it the way we want to, and we'll get through it together."


	22. Darkness

**Chapter Twenty-One**:  
Darkness

**Note: **Thank you so much for the reviews in the last chapter. When I saw that I had three reviews, I nearly cried. xD That might be a slight exaggeration, but you get my point. Thank you! I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy writing the Yunalesca fight. My goodness, was it fun! Enjoy the chapter and please review!

_'The feeling's creeping up that you're never going to win; you have to remember we are rising [...]_

_We are the ones in too deep; we are the ones, we are.'_

**-"And We All Return to Our Roots" by The Forecast**

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Yunalesca's body hovered over them, looking extremely dark for someone who had once been a summoner. Still, they had very little idea of what to expect and stuck to the basics: Lulu casting spells, Yuna staying on the healing route, and the rest using their physical attacks. Yunalesca had other plans, casting a spell over both of their mages that rendered them unable to speak. Rikku threw two healing items their way before dashing at Yunalesca with her claws outstretched, but she froze in tracks before landing a hint for, at first, unclear reasons. A quick spell had been thrown her way, and Rikku's head was, quite literally, in a fog as shadows surrounded it and blinded her. To add insult to injury, Yunalesca was about to land a hit on the Al Bhed while she was unable to see her surroundings.

Ashlin reacted quickly, dragging her sword behind her as she came to Yunalesca's other side and sliced into it while she uncorked a bottle and threw it over Rikku, eliminating the cloud. She was feeling quite proud of herself until she became unusually fatigued and fell over. When Rikku attempted to catch her, Ashlin's dead weight simply pinned her down, leaving them both very open to Yunalesca.

Yuna acted the fastest as she raised her rod and a white spiral fell over Yunalesca before exploding on contact. It was a holy spell, but it seemed to do a remarkable amount of damage, which was exceedingly ironic.

A sonic boom hit Yuna, who attempted to open her mouth and cast a second holy spell but suddenly found that her vocal cords would not work. "This is getting _really _petty!" shouted Tidus as he threw a quick echo screen over Yuna. "Check this out!" A shocking amount of energy began to surround Tidus as he held Brotherhood by his side and charged at Yunalesca. He swiped the sword back and forth on her, and she barely tried to cast protect spells in response, but it was obvious by her lack of reaction that he needed more.

Ashlin turned away from Tidus for a moment as he flipped and sliced. "Hey, Wakka, give me your ball."

"What?"

"Just... C'mon!" Begrudgingly, he threw the blitzball to her as she placed the sword on the ground.

"Hey, Tidus, think fast!" They seemed to be on the same wavelength, for he completely understood. With little to no regard for his safety, Tidus stabbed Brotherhood into the ground and jumped off of its hilt into the air. Ashlin hurled the blitzball as hard as she could to him, and he flipped in the air before kicking it back at Yunalesca, knocking her back a few feet in the process from the impact of the attack.

The ball bounced off of Yunalesca and returned to Wakka's hand. "Hey, I wanna try that!"

"You can't, Wakka," replied Ashlin as she ran a prompt attack at Yunalesca.

"Why not?"

"Because, first there was the Sublimely Magnificent Jecht Shot, and what you just saw was the Superbly Awesome Tidus Volley! You can't take Tidus' move," she answered with a smile. Wakka scratched his head, confused, and, really, the only ones who understood were Tidus, Yuna, and Auron.

Yunalesca glowered at the group. "How dare you make a mockery of me, I will show you...!" She flicked her arm into the air, the magic circle that had been surrounding her shattering in the process, and suddenly she shot about fifty feet into the air as the thing (that had once been wings) on her back grew, forming a group of tentacles at the end. "Try this on for size," she hissed, raising her arms. Several of the tentacles burrowed beneath the concrete and shot out in front of several of the party members. Rikku stared at the one looming over her head, not quite sure what to make of it at first. The tentacle lashed out too quickly for her to react, biting her several times before retreating underground again. She heaved a heavy breath and leaned over, feeling oddly half-alive and glanced around to see that she was not the only one. "Allow me to help you..."

The once-soothing white light of cura fell over Tidus, but it did not feel right. Instead of making him feel better, it physically hurt him. "Ow! What's the deal?"

"Zombies are hurt by healing properties, remember?" reminded Rikku.

Yunalesca chuckled as she held out a single scarlet feather before her. "Mm... Which one shall I take?" Her eyes scanned the exhausted, half-dead group as she idly played with the feather. "Perhaps your summoner? Yes, I would quite like that!"

"I don't think so!" Yuna quickly cast healing spells back to back to back, ridding them all of their half-dead states, and the scarlet feather fell over her without causing any damage at all.

"For someone who was once so pure, she is very demonic," noted Lulu as a flare spell fell over Yunalesca, though it was difficult to tell if it hurt her; Yunalesca refused to show any sign of pain.

"Hence why holy works so well, I guess," replied Ashlin, jumping back and narrowly avoiding the bite of one of the tentacles.

"Enough idle chit-chat!" screeched Yunalesca, raising her hands. Thicker tentacles burrowed into the ground and reappeared in front of a select few people. She flicked her wrist, and the tentacles drew nearer Kimahari, Lulu and Yuna.

Wakka hurled his blitzball at the tentacle facing Lulu, Tidus and Rikku warily watched the one near Yuna, and Auron and Ashlin kept their eyes on the one looming near Kimahari. "I... don't like the sight of that," mumbled Wakka once the tentacle barely reacted to his attack.

Without warning, they drew near, tightening around the three like giant boa constructors before lifting them into the air. Tidus felt his heart leave with Yuna and began to climb up the tentacle, which was ill-advised in its own; Wakka followed suit. Kimahari, who barely reacted to pain, roared distressingly as the tentacle tightened around his body. Yuna's face was steadily draining of its color and, despite his best efforts, Tidus couldn't get it to release despite the fact that he continued to stab it. Rikku raked her claws around the one holding Yuna, also to no avail; Yunalesca snapped and, suddenly, she was snatched up, too. Meanwhile, two additional tentacles knocked Wakka and Tidus off of the ones they were hanging on and all the way down to the concrete below where they lay unmoving.

Ashlin attempted to slice through Rikku's tentacle, but it was too thick for her to even attempt. A smaller one came up behind her and bit her in the leg, restoring the zombie-feeling. She looked to Auron, unsure of what to do, but he somehow managed to remain calm and run up to Yunalesca's army of tentacles, slicing at them as Yunalesca 'healed' Ashlin. Ashlin looked to the rest of her friends, all pale and unmoving, and felt her nerves on edge. She was distinctly reminded of three years previous when she had watched the Chimera destroy Aimee and Jaidan. _'I told myself never again... I can't let fear stop me!' _So she followed Auron's lead, running up to Yunalesca but she was stopped way before she even came close. A thin tentacle shot forward like a bullet, and she had the distinct feeling of being shot by Rupin all over again, for she was quite sure that the thing had gone straight _through _her. When she stared down at her stomach, her fears were confirmed.

Despite the absolute disgust she felt, Ashlin swung her sword wildly and easily chopped herself free. She tried to ignore the fact that the tip that had gone through to her back had fallen to the ground and was squirming, much like a headless chicken. Once again, she attempted to attack Yunalesca as Auron had, and, for a second time, another tentacle surged at her. This time, it only hit her sword, which clattered uselessly feet away from her. "Really?" growled Ashlin as she quickly pulled out the pistol, aimed up at Yunalesca and fired a few rounds. This seemed to, at the very least, shock her for Yuna, Lulu, Rikku and Kimahari were dropped to the ground as the tentacles retreated. "Ha!"

Tidus and Wakka were still unmoving, so she and Auron backtracked to check on the others. Kimahari was, of course, a proud, fierce Ronso and, once he saw that Yuna was okay, he charged at Yunalesca and cut down the tentacles that rose in his path in order to get to her. Rikku's stomach wound was bleeding once more and, aside from gulping large amounts of air, she, too, was okay. Lulu, however... "Lulu?" Ashlin leaned over the black mage, who looked very peaceful with her eyes closed; her moogle doll had fallen a couple of feet away from her. "Lulu!"

Wakka's eyes opened at the sound of Ashlin's frantic voice calling the mage's name and quickly crawled over to Lulu, whose eyes were still not open. Yuna also joined them, slightly hunched over from the pain her abdomen had taken, and leaned over the woman she considered a sister. She quickly cast a curaga spell, but Lulu still did not stir. In all the time Ashlin had known Lulu, she had never ever appeared even remotely weakened. If she had felt it, then she had never shown it, and Ashlin felt very frightened by her showing such extreme weakness. "I don't know why she won't wake up," breathed Yuna, now on her hands and knees beside Lulu. "The spell should have worked!"

"Lu, c'mon, you can't worry me and Yuna like this. Wake up!"

Though Ashlin noticed a trickle of blood on the back of Tidus' head, Ashlin saw him running at Yunalesca with a certain level of ferocity that she had never seen before. "You two should watch Lulu, but watch yourselves, too," said Ashlin before turning back to the pleased Yunalesca.

"One down; six more to go," she purred.

Tidus swiped his hand to the side. "Hey, shut up!"

Ashlin was nearly ready to stand alongside him and fight when she remembered her sword. She looked around for it and found it lying near the edge of the roof. When she ran to get it, several tentacles rose and barred her path. She shot at them with the pistol, but it did very little good. "I'll help!" Rikku, as energetic as ever, squeezed by the tentacles that continuously rose in her path and dived just as more were about to rise into her path. She seized the sword by the hilt admiring her handiwork for just a moment, and ran back to return it to Ashlin when a thick tentacle appeared out of nowhere, swept her up by the abdomen, and hurled her through the air.

Jaidan's sword went flying for a second time, but Ashlin only had eyes for her fellow as Rikku sailed through the air, her body threatening to, if not fall over the edge, take some serious damage from the fall. Auron moved faster than anyone could think and very easily caught her, the force of which pushed him back about a foot or so. Heaving a sigh of relief, Ashlin turned back to Yunalesca, glancing at Lulu (who was still unmoving) out of the corner of her eye, and fired a few rounds for she was unable to locate her sword again.

It seemed the worst damage that Rikku had sustained was having the wind knocked out of her, at least at first. She opened her eyes and looked up at her savior with appreciation. "Do you make it your personal business to save Al Bhed girls on a regular basis?" she breathed. His head was at such an angle that, for a change, she could see his lips, which were quirked into a smirk; Rikku was sure that she had never seen anything more beautiful in her entire life. He helped her to stand, but she immediately regretted the move as she cried out and hunched over.

"What is it?" Auron bent over to get a good look at her. Rikku was clutching her right side, where her rib was. "Don't move. Sit."

"I can't just sit here like a sitting duck!"

"You're no good to anyone with a broken rib," replied Auron, and he stood in front of her, she realized with a jolt, _guarding _her.

"Would now be a good time to mention that I'm kinda sorry for yelling at you before?"

Auron chuckled. "No. You should not apologize."

"But, I—"

"You were right."

Auron, Yuna, and Wakka's distractions left Kimahari, Ashlin and Tidus to fight Yunalesca which, admittedly, was going slightly better since the three of them began to guard and look out for one another. "Maybe if I were to get really close and shoot her..." muttered Ashlin, who had given up searching for the sword for the moment.

In total compliance, Kimahari came up behind her, grabbed her by the arm and hurled her into the air with a force that should have taken her arm out of its socket. Her brain racked around in her head from the throw, but she recovered quickly and, once she was eye to eye with Yunalesca, fired several rounds in her face. The bullets hit their mark with ease, but Yunalesca countered with more tentacles, which Tidus and Kimahari savagely attacked. Once she was about a foot or so from hitting the ground, Tidus caught her. She felt a little guilty for it, thinking that maybe she should have attempted the same when he had fallen before. "I owe you one," she told him as he set her on her feet.

"Yeah, the list of how much you owe me's getting pretty big," he informed her with a big grin.

"Watch!" grunted Kimahari, forcing the blondes' attention back to Yunalesca and forcing them to jump apart as a thick tentacle smashed the area where they had previously been standing.

"I will end you fools!" Yunalesca's cry was borderline insane, giving them only a slight head's up about what was about to come. The thick tentacles alternately and repeatedly struck down where they were standing and the three of them attempted to avoid getting hit by running around, a plan which did not work well at all. Dazed from the quantity and ferocity of attacks, Tidus, Ashlin and Kimahari swayed on the spot as they waited for their vision to become straight once again.

Meanwhile, Lulu still was not stirring, though she, at least, had a pulse. "Yuna," began Wakka, "you gotta help 'em, ya? They can't do it without ya."

"But what about Lulu...?"

"Let me worry about Lu, you go." Hesitantly, Yuna nodded, quickly casting a curaga on Rikku, which seemed to heal her rib, and joined the other three. She doublecast holy on Yunalesca who finally roared in pain. Light surrounded her body, and the tentacles and everything that had been attached finally disappeared. Rikku was jumping up and down in celebration of their win.

Then, it happened. From within the light, which had turned black, an unholy, inhumane roar emitted. Once it faded, they saw (and, really, people from all around Spira probably could have seen it) that a giant, floating Medusa head, complete with golden 'snakes' (which were in the shape of skulls) coming off of her head as hair, with Yunalesca standing on top like Yuna did with Ifrit. Rikku stopped moving and stared at the head in horror. "S-s-s-snakes!"

Tidus, his head finally cleared from the onslaught of attacks, looked over to her. "You're afraid of snakes, too?"

"W-well y-yeah!"

"Time to conquer that fear, too, then!" said Ashlin as the Medusa gave another inhuman roar.

Yuna stared down the once-summoner without a change in facial expression. She raised her rod, and everyone immediately stepped back as she summoned Yojimbo and Daigoro. As Tidus had mentioned, they needed to pay him before he would attack but, once they did, he pulled his katana out of a portal in the ground and sliced at Yunalesca repeatedly. Though the attack was undeniably strong, it did not instantly kill her as it did Spectral Keeper. "Hey, what's the deal?" demanded Tidus.

Yunalesca's laugh was deranged. "Do you really believe you can take care of me that easily?" The Medusa head roared again as several of the snakes surged forward and bit into Yojimbo and Daigoro before sucking out all of their health. The aeons turned translucent and disappeared before their very eyes. "You'll have to do better than that." Tidus, Auron, Rikku and Kimahari made to step beside Yuna once more, but she held up her rod again. "Summoning again? Are you a fool? Your aeons are no match for me!"

Yuna ignored her as Valefor floated down before them. An orange light emitted from her beak and sliced across Yunalesca and Medusa as a ray, which exploded on contact and temporarily separated Yunalesca from her summon. Without being asked and just simply knowing what to do, Ashlin, Rikku and Tidus went after Yunalesca. "Tidus!" called Ashlin; he nodded in understanding as magic exploded from his body and he ran after Yunalesca, slicing her repeatedly before she had the chance to escape. It seemed that Medusa was not quite sure of what to do while it was separated from its summoner, leaving it very open to attacks from Valefor. "Wakka!"

The blitz player in question had been prepared for Ashlin's shout, and threw the ball over to her, but she pushed Rikku in its direction instead. Rikku caught the ball a little unsteadily as Tidus jumped into the air. Time seemed to move very slowly in the next minute or so as Ashlin laid her eyes on Jaidan's sword, all the way at the other side of the roof, and Rikku threw the ball into the air... Ashlin threw herself at the sword, but it suddenly sailed through the air at her instead as Kimahari threw it. She easily caught it, noted Tidus kicking the blitzball at Yunalesca with all of his strength, and followed through with a quick attack before the demonic unsent could recover.

She was not quite sure how it happened, but Kimahari and Auron were on either side of her as the three of them raced in to attack. Yunalesca was breathing heavily and down on one knee once they were through with her; Ashlin looked to Auron. "You should be the one," she mumbled and he did not have to ask what she meant. He raised his katana and leapt into the air, stabbing it into the ground near Yunalesca as magic exploded from it and knocked her flat onto her back.

Yuna shouted from behind them, and Tidus quickly returned to her side. It seemed that Medusa had decided that it needed to take a stand for itself without Yunalesca; the snakes had absorbed all of Valefor's health, and the bird disappeared into pyreflies. "We have to fight _that_?" asked Rikku with serious dread.

"No," answered Auron as he took a few steps in front of the rest of the group. "Get back." Unsure of what he was going to do but deciding it would be for the best if they obeyed, everyone retreated as he held pulled his katana slightly behind his back and what looked like the beginnings of a tornado whipped up around him. He twirled the katana around in a circle before pushing the large tornado forward with a final swing. The tornado engulfed Medusa, Ashlin thought, in order to blow it away. Instead, Auron pulled the jug off of his hip and hurled its contents at the tornado, which turned it into a tornado of fire. The tornado faded soon after, leaving a charred-looking snakehead in its wake.

Ashlin watched as Medusa disappeared and Yunalesca attempted to pull herself into a sitting position. Between Auron and Tidus, Ashlin found herself quite jealous that she could not carry out a move quite that amazing. The group slowly drew near the 'dying' summoner, and Wakka, supporting a weak but awake Lulu, joined them. "You... fools... Do you even know what you have done? The Final Summoning... dies with me; Spira's _hope _dies with me."

"There's nothing hopeful about what you've been doing!" argued Tidus.

Yunalesca simply shook her head. "You've no idea what you have done. Even if you did find a different way to defeat Sin, Yu Yevon would simply recreate it. No good will come from what you have done..."

"Yu Yevon?" echoed Yuna, confused.

"Zaon..." Yunalesca was looking far away as her body began to disappear into pyreflies. "Forgive me... They have taken Spira's only hope... And I allowed it..."

Yuna gazed around as the others once Yunalesca was gone. "We just… Did we really just do that?"

"We did," agreed Lulu. It was amazing that she could still sound grave when she was weak. "Perhaps a little foolish…"

"No, not foolish. This way we can help Spira once and for all, and we can free my old man."

Wakka looked like he might pass out. "But there's no other way, there's only the Final Aeon!"

"That is a temporary solution. We're going to find a permanent one! Come on, believe a little, Wakka!" chastised Rikku; Lulu looked at her proudly.

Yuna looked to Tidus. "But what will we do?"

"We'll figure it out, it'll come to us. I _know _it. Come on; let's get out of this place." Wakka supported Lulu as they left. They descended the staircase, Ashlin following Auron's languid pace to the bottom where he stopped.

Ashlin approached him. "Auron… I remember when Jyscal came out of the Farplane and Yuna sent him, you started to collapse…"

Having sensed the conversation since the memory of him attacking Yunalesca, Auron inclined his head ever so slightly. "I, too, am Unsent."

"And you're alive because of unfinished business, like Aimee was?"

"I would not call it 'alive', but yes. Braska asked me to take Yuna from Bevelle and to bring her to Besaid. After Yunalesca struck me down, I managed to descend Gagazet but collapsed outside of Bevelle. Kimahari found me, and that is when I told him to take Yuna away from Bevelle. After that… I died."

Ashlin pursed her lips. "But you…"

"I remained alive because I could not give up quite yet. I had another promise to keep." Tidus, who had been standing quietly off to the side, joined them at last. "Before Jecht became the Final Aeon, he asked me to watch over you because you were… "such a crybaby"." Tidus protested, and Auron chuckled. "I found a way to Zanarkand, and you know the rest."

Tidus nodded, slowly, and set after the others. Ashlin was not satisfied yet. "I still don't understand. You made a promise to Braska, which is why you joined Yuna as her guardian, and you made a promise to Jecht, which is why you watched over Tidus and also made him Yuna's guardian. Why me? Why anything for me?"

"I had seen some orphaned children in my time during Braska's pilgrimage, but I had never interacted with any. Truthfully, I had never liked children."

Ashlin grinned. "Really? You seem like a guy who kids who just _love_."

"Had we simply passed through the Calm Lands that day, I would have thought nothing of it, but we remained there with you. I began to feel compassion for you." Ashlin had never heard Auron make any remarks about his feelings before; it felt very intimate. "For the remainder of the Pilgrimage, Braska, Jecht and I could not forget. Once Braska and Jecht were gone, I made a promise to myself that I had to keep that, some day, I might find you again and be sure that you, like the other two children I was charged with watching over, would be alright."

She felt very touched and, in fact, Ashlin realized she had never felt the way she did at that moment. "I… I don't know what to say. Thank you, obviously, but… I never thought I would have impacted anyone."

"You do not give yourself enough credit."

Ashlin had been resisting revealing her emotions, knowing how Auron was, but she couldn't do it anymore. She threw her arms around him in a hug. "You've truly saved my life. Thank you."

Rikku joined them at the moment, and Ashlin spared Auron from further awkwardness by releasing him. Before she did, he whispered, "Tell the others nothing." He did not have to specify to whom she knew he was specifically referring to as the girl in question poked Ashlin in the chest. "You...! You were going to give yourself up!"

"Rikku..."

"You said that you were going to help Tidus and me, and _you _were going to go along with it!"

"Not the entire time," said Ashlin weakly.

Rikku patted her pouch. "Your sphere says otherwise."

"Rikku..."

"No. When are you going to get that you're not alone? You have all of us! Your life has plenty of meaning, Ashlin. Besides, if I had lost Yunie in addition to you... I don't know what I would have done."

Ashlin managed a weak smile. "Rikku, I'm sorry. I just wanted to do what was right... while being a coward," she added in a quieter voice. "You're right, though. Come on, let's get out of here." When they reached the outside of the Zanarkand Dome, the sky was just beginning to glow. Had they really been stuck in the dome for that long? It certainly had not felt quite so long... By the time they were outside, they were greeted by a wonderful surprise: Cid's airship was waiting for them.

The bridge was most certainly less chaotic than it had been the previous time Ashlin had been there. Cid threw his arms around Yuna's neck as he embraced her tightly before releasing her and holding her at arm's length. "You found us," she noted weakly.

"'Course… Might have been hoping to find you _before _you went into that God forsaken place, but you're still in one piece. No Final Summoning?"

Yuna shook her head. "No. We… learned much from Yunalesca, and I couldn't do It."

"But she was _going _to," complained Rikku as she stepped close to her cousin and father. "Her and Ashlin."

Ashlin had been shaking her head and bringing her hand across her throat In order to prevent the other girl from saying her name, but it seemed lost on Rikku. Sighing, she hung her head. Just what she needed, for the Al Bhed to hear that she had been about to participate in the sacrifice that they detested; that would certainly score her more points. Still, she had to admit that she wasn't completely concerned with that. They had just eliminated Yunalesca, their key to defeating Sin. Now, she had to help think about what they were going to do. "So… we have to fight Sin, but without the Final Summoning. I don't know how, but we're going to make it there eventually, right? Yuna should be fully armed with everything she has, in that case."

"What are you saying?" asked Tidus.

"The other aeons, remember? We should try to track them down and get them."

Lulu inclined her head. "Yes, but we have to find them. Where else are there temples?"

Rikku had turned toward the strange-looking sphere in the center of the bridge and was playing around with It. Tidus stepped beside her and watched as she punched in random codes. "What're you doing?"

"Entering coordinates. There must be other temples with the other aeons, right? Well, if I keep trying, maybe I can find them!"

Joining them, Auron pointed out, "There are an infinite amount of possibilities."

"I know, but that's the wonderful thing about me: I don't give up."

Tidus mumbled, "Isn't that the truth? It can be kind of annoying, really."

Normally, Rikku might have hit him, but she was too focused on what she was doing. "Auron?" The unsent rapped Tidus on the head in response.

"Hey! Since when do you take orders from her?"

"It seems only chivalrous."

Ashlin looked away from them in time to see Yuna and Kimahari slip out of the bridge. She followed after them, but they must have moved quite quickly as she didn't catch them until they were in the area by the elevator. "Yuna, it's been a really, really long day. Maybe you should rest or something?"

Yuna shook her head. "I… can't. How can I? We've destroyed Spira's only hope and I'm… I'm no good. I can't think of anything. My mind is so set in the teachings that I can't even think of anything besides the Final Summoning."

Ashlin quoted Auron from when they were in Bevelle: "'It's tradition. People get stuck in tradition and stop thinking outside of the box.'" She stepped beside Yuna and stared out at the clouds. Morning was slowly breaking, and the sun emitted a nice glow. They had been in Zanarkand much longer than she thought. "But not us. We're different. If we weren't, we wouldn't have broken so many laws. We're survivors, all of us, and we will think of something. Hopefully, Rikku will find a temple soon, and we can start from there. Otherwise, we still have something else to start with: Yunalesca mentioned a 'Yu Yevon', right?"

"Mm. If she knew his name, it is likely that Maester Mika does as well."

"So we could go see him!"

"In Bevelle?" asked Yuna rhetorically. "Well… We've been doing dangerous things all along, why stop now?"

Ashlin faced her with a grin. "That's the spirit!"

"Mika knows much. Knows more about Yevon," grunted Kimahari abruptly.

Yuna turned toward him. "But Yevon can't help us."

"Yevon… Yu Yevon… What's the connection?" wondered Ashlin.

"Mika, Mika will know. We make him talk."

Ashlin and Yuna managed giggles. "I like that Idea," admitted Ashlin. "So, maybe we should go there fir-"

However, Cid's voice was rumbling over the Intercom, "We found a new temple, get back to the high bridge!" Ashlin looked out the window. Wherever it was they were was very dark and murky and appeared to consist solely of ruins with water that stretched as far as the eye could see. Lightning flashed In the distance as thunder rumbled. The girls exchanged concerned glances before the three of them returned to the bridge.

"Where are we?" asked Ashlin as soon as they entered.

"Some sort of temple," answered Rikku, "Baaj Temple." The group looked to Auron and Yuna for support.

"I've never heard of such a place," she admitted.

Tidus pursed his lips as he stared out of the window. "I think… I recognize this place. I've been here before."

"You have," agreed Rikku. "This is where we met!"

Tidus full-out grinned. "Right! You helped me with that fiend."

"Helped?" she echoed. "No, I _saved _you from the fiend."

He waved her off. "Whatever, let's just check it out."

"It don't look all that safe," noted Wakka, "but that's never really stopped us, anyway." They exited the ship and stood on a small slab of rock. There appeared to be no point of entry into the so-called temple though Rikku and Tidus knew better. "So, how do we get in?"

Tidus folded his arms over his chest and peered into the murky water. "There's a way to get in through the water."

"That's not very helpful for the rest of us," reminded Lulu, who, like the others, was in much better condition as everyone had healed up on the ship.

Ashlin kneeled down and also stared into the water. "I don't think there's going to be another way…"

"The four of us can scout ahead and let you know when we've found the entrance," decided Tidus. "Ready?"

Rikku pulled her goggles over her eyes though she was eyeing the mysterious water with deep dislike. "Yep!"

"Oh, I should probably mention… When I first came here, there was a really nasty fiend that tried to eat me. I didn't kill it, so it's probably still hanging around here."

Ashlin put her hand to her forehead. "The news just keeps getting better!" They dove into the water, which was disgusting but Ashlin forced herself to open her eyes, and began to swim around in the darkness. Fortunately for them, there did not appear to be many points of entry, so they started for the only tunnel they saw. As they did, the large fiend that Tidus had encountered during his previous visit appeared out of nowhere and blocked their entry. The fiend was really very strange-looking with its abdomen made of a large cage and a few tentacles. They looked at Tidus for confirmation that this was the fiend he had been speaking of, and he nodded. Tidus and Ashlin swam through the water with their swords and attacked while Rikku pulled a golden gem out of her pouch and threw, and Wakka surrounded his ball with electrical energy before hurling it at the Geosgaeno.

The Geosgaeno did not seem like all that much of a threat, but it promptly proved Ashlin wrong when it inhaled deeply. Tidus gestured frantically for them to move, but it was much too late and Wakka was swept up, reappearing in the cage that was the fiend's stomach. He pounded on the ribcage, but it did little more than irk it, and the quarters were much too close for him to throw his Blitzball. Rikku moved in and tried to break apart the cage with her claw, which required that she remained very close to the fiend, and Ashlin swam around its head as a distraction, leaving Tidus to also assist Rikku.

_'Now,' _she realized, _'would be a decent time to know some magic.' _Instead, she resorted to thwacking the creature in the head with her sword while it attempted to claw and punch at her. They were all very fortunate the fiend didn't think to suck them all up. Between Rikku and Tidus, Wakka was freed from his prison a few minutes after the fact, and the Al Bhed signaled for them all to move back as she fished a grenade out of her pocket. With a pained roar, the Geosgaeno fell, and they swam forward into the passage that it had been guarding.

They found themselves in an underwater hallway, and Ashlin immediately surfaced in order to get more air. She realized that the area had a small staircase with a doorway on the northern part of the room. The others realized this at about the same time as they surfaced once their path of water ended. Wakka exited the water first with the other three following closely and entered through the doorway to find what looked like a hall. "Is this where you two were last time?" he asked Tidus and Rikku.

Both shook their heads. "Nu-uh, I don't recognize this area," answered Rikku as she looked around at the creepy-looking statues, three on either side of them.

Ashlin walked ahead where a symbol was floating in the air, a glyph of some sort. It had writing on it. "_'Six treasures lie within six temples. Open every chest within each Trial, then stand before this statue to open the way to the Chamber of the Fayth'... _Huh."

"So, if we did that, then just walking by a statue should open the path, ya?" Wakka walked over to the statue nearest him and, upon touching it, it gave off a white glow with a white glyph hovering near it. Each of them did that with every remaining statue, and the giant glyph on the north side of the room shattered to reveal the entrance to the Chamber of the Fayth. "Whoa!"

"We should go back and get the others," said Tidus. "I'll do it, I'll be right back."

Ashlin chewed on her lip. "I don't think they'll appreciate having to get in the water, but there's no other way."

"They'll adjust," decided Rikku as she stared at the Chamber of the Fayth with curiosity. "I wonder what an aeon could be doing in such a ruined place."

"Don't know, but this place gives me the chills," mumbled Ashlin. They had to wait about ten minutes before Tidus returned with the remainder of the very unhappy, wet party. Everyone entered the Chamber of the Fayth, which was lit in a calming purple light as Yuna drew close to where the statue lie and prayed to the fayth. Suddenly, the ghostly form of a woman – one Ashlin immediately recognized from Zanarkand – stood before Yuna. "Seymour's mother!"

Yuna stood and the fayth seemed somewhat discouraged by Ashlin's declaration. "You know this... yet you seek my aid? I do not understand." A faint smile appeared on the woman's face. "My Seymour... don't you hate him? No, it's okay, I understand that you would not admit to it." Ashlin mumbled something that earned her a quieting stare from Lulu. "I understand why you would hate him. My son has... turned into a most hateful being himself, and I do not deny my part in causing it. Seymour was... never accepted by his people, being part human and part Guado. The Guado were threatening my husband with war, so he sent us away to this place."

"That's so awful," mumbled Rikku.

"No, this place was very beautiful at the time, and we were not alone; many lived here. This is where Seymour grew up. However, I did not wish for him to remain here forever, forever being denied by his people, so I decided that the only way to gain the Guado's acceptance was to destroy Sin. We made the same pilgrimage you did yourself, summoner, but..." The woman looked very far away. "He was too young. He was frightened once he found out what it would take, and he no longer wished to do it. Yet I continued to push him. I went through with the ceremony, and I became a fayth – his personal fayth, as no one else knew of my existence. Once he was slightly older, I showed him my power, but it was not enough for him. After witnessing my power, he desired more and more... I suppose it's because he never had control over his own life. I thought I was doing right by my son, but...

"He went looking for more power, and he found it in the form of Sin. That is why he does what is currently doing today. I will help you, summoner, which will also help my son. I grant you the power of the Dark Aeon, Anima, to destroy Sin and my son's obsession with it. Only then can I at least pay him back in small part for the mistakes I have made." The woman's body faded away and Yuna, much stronger than she had once been, did not so much as flinch as she gained her newest aeon.

Ashlin whistled. "Anima, wow, that's a big deal! Wait until Seymour finds out the next time we see him..." No one argued that Seymour would not appear to them at some point because, after all of their encounters, it seemed quite inevitable that they would meet again.

Tidus rested his hands behind his head. "Now what?"

"Bevelle," grunted Kimahari.

Yuna nodded. "Yes, to see Maester Mika."

Upon returning to the bridge, they recalled that the ride to Bevelle was not exactly short and decided to take advantage of the time to rest... and to also think harder about how they were going to take care of Sin. Ashlin wandered off, allowing the others to hash out ideas, in the general direction of the other end of the ship in hopes of going to the roof. She was hoping the air would be much more refreshing once they left Baaj Temple. By the time she took the elevator up, they were already out of the area and the sky was miraculously clear and beautiful.

She plopped down on the middle of the roof on her back and stared up at the sky. It dawned upon her just how tired she was exactly and she decided to allow her eyes to close for just a few moments.

_Ashlin lifted up her head, which had been resting against her knees, and became aware that her surroundings had changed. She was sitting on a flat, mossy rock in the middle of a brightly lit forest. There were streams somewhat near her with some of the most beautiful blue water that she had ever seen. Sitting across from her on a tall boulder was none other than Jaidan. "This... is still Macalania, isn't it? It looks so __different__."_

_ "It's a good thing," he reassured her as he glanced around briefly. There were very few crystals now and the trees were all made out of wood with nothing else covering them. They were surrounded by a throng of trees in addition to the streams; it was enclosed yet very open. "Ashlin." She recognized the tone immediately: it was how he used to say her name when she was in trouble. "You were going to sacrifice yourself."_

_ "I thought you would be proud of me? In the name of Yevon, right?"_

_ "Don't be cute," he grumbled as he leaned back on the rock and stared up into the golden sky. "You were going to... cease to exist." He sounded troubled, and she suddenly felt guilty._

_ "I just... I had a feeling, that's why I made the sphere," she explained. "And I wanted to help Yuna, so I..."_

_ Jaidan was staring at her so intensely that she found it immensely difficult to fabricate a story under his watch. "You know that you can't lie to me."_

_ She stared at the vines growing on and around his boulder. "I do."_

_ "I thought you got past this? You _have _to get past it, Ash," he added in a softer voice. "It's no good. If you stay in the past, you're not going to be able to move on, and you're certainly not going to be able to live."_

_ "Why should I anyway? You're not, Aimee's not."_

_ Jaidan inclined his head. "So that's what this is about: your little encounter."_

_ "How did you know?"_

_ He didn't respond. "Ashlin, you have to understand that Aimee isn't really herself. You know that she never truly thought any of those things. She is dead, yet alive, and envious of the living. As you're living, and you were with her when she died, she's bound to say hateful things – particularly to you."_

_ "Jaidan, I don't think you understand: she tried to kill me."_

_ "You allowed it."_

_ "What was I going to do?"_

_ Jaidan smirked. "Fight. You should have taken my sword and plunged it right through her." Ashlin imagined the scenario and, as Aimee lay 'dying', she would have been bombarded by insults from her killing Aimee with her brother's sword. "You were too willing to believe she was real, which she was but is not really."_

_ "Your words of wisdom never cease to amaze."_

_ "You need to understand that what Aimee and I would want most is for you to live. Is it unfair that we died? Of course, but why should you have to live half-dead yourself?" _

_ Ashlin pursed her lips. "But it's my fault..."_

_ "You were young and frightened, it isn't your fault. Life is full of random, nonsensical events; the incident with the Chimera was just that. You can't put that on yourself. Besides, if you had fought, I'm sure you would simply be here with me."_

_ Her eyebrows knitted together. '''Here'?" she echoed, but he did not explain. "If I had died, neither you nor Aimee would have returned as unsents."_

_ "Stop blaming yourself. You have more important things to do, like helping out Sir Jecht. You owe him one, after all." Jaidan was grinning, an image that Ashlin had grown to miss. She hopped off of the rock and walked over to him as he slid down to join her. _

_ She threw her arms around his neck. "I miss you every day. I don't know if the pain will ever go away," she mumbled._

_ "It won't. What your friends said to Lady Yunalesca was correct: pain never truly goes away as what causes it is never forgotten. But, someday, the pain will subside and it will be little more than a memory." He released her, holding her at arm's length. "I'm still proud of you, regardless of the fact that you tried to kill yourself." His grin alerted her to the fact that he was joking. Abruptly, it disappeared and his expression became pained. "Ashlin–!" _

_ "What?" She could not understand what the problem was, then..._

Ashlin abruptly awoke, though she was unsure why: had the dream been about to change into a nightmare? When a shadow was cast over her, she realized that she was not alone. "It is foolish to sleep atop an airship. If it were to turn suddenly, you would fall off, and wouldn't that be a pity?"

* * *

**Note: The title is a reference to Yunalesca's darkness as well as, obviously, Anima, the Dark Aeon. There IS a reason for the change in scenery during Ashlin's dream, see if you can guess what it is. :) This will probably be my last update until at least the weekend. I've been majorly stressed, unfortunately, and that won't go away until Friday. I hope you enjoyed, see you in the next chapter! **


	23. What's Buried Beneath

**Twenty-Two:**  
What's Buried Beneath

**Note: Oh, dear, I am _so _sorry about my lag. I would spew to you my sad, sad story but... you don't really need to hear it. xD Just know that I am extremely apologetic and will attempt to make up for it. Enjoy the chapter! There's not too much action, but it is quite long...**

* * *

"Even once Mika explains, what are we going to do?" asked Tidus of the room at large as he sat near Yuna on one of the electrical boards.

"Weren't you the one who yelled at me for not coming up with constructive ideas?" asked Rikku before sticking her tongue out at him.

Tidus rubbed his head. "Yeah, well… I'm all out of ideas now."

"Ha, when did you ever have an idea?" jested Wakka.

Rikku joined him, nodding. "Yeah, deciding to ambush Yunalesca, Yunie and Ash doesn't count as an _idea_!" Then, the strangest thing happened: Wakka and Rikku stared at each other with amazed, but excited, expressions.

"I think they just suffered a stroke, or something," mumbled Tidus to Yuna, who giggled.

"Aha! Tidus, your dad liked the hymn of the fayth, right?" Though Rikku said his name, she was looking at Auron, who confirmed her thought with a nod. "So maybe—"

"Sin would be weakened by it, ya? We could get inside it if it was listening to the hymn!"

Rikku stomped her foot. "Hey, that was my idea!"

"You stole it from me!"

"How? I can't read your mind!"

"How do I know that?"

Lulu pinched the bridge of her nose and turned toward Yuna and Tidus. "It's not a bad idea," she admitted.

**XxX**

"Do you ever go away? I thought for sure that Cid would have cast you out in the Calm Lands." Ashlin and Rupin were face to face for the first time in quite a while though, she thought, the break had not been long enough; eternity would have been much more satisfactory.

He chuckled. "You think you're so high and mighty." She was surprised that his weapon was not, at the moment, drawn. "Truly, you are the lowest of the low, my dear. Sacrificing yourself in a ritual that Al Bhed detest? Are you trying to make us hate you even more or are you just blissfully ignorant?"

"Why don't you skip the monologue and shoot me again?" Ashlin pulled out the pistol. "I get it now, I really do, and I realize that I can't feel betrayed for what you did because you're just like any of my other enemies, though I don't even know you half as well as I do most of them."

Rupin still appeared amused. "Are you just desperate to end your life?" he wondered. "If that is the case, I suppose I could help you, but I'll give you a chance first. I will allow you to make an attempt on mine, go on. Let's not have a repeat of what happened back at Home, hm?"

Ashlin held the pistol with both of her hands and aimed for his chest. It would have been so easy to simply pull the trigger and watch him suffer, suffer as she had suffered. And, once again, she realized that she could not do it. Not only because she had zero desire to truly end his life but because she remembered her mother. Her mother must have, at some point, seen some good in this man. Even if he had been as abusive as she assumed, her mother still believed that there had been some good in him somewhere and that was why she returned to Bikanel Island to ask for his help. It had been in vain, of course, and it was the trip that ended her mother's life, but... Her mother would not have wanted any of this for her. "You and I, we aren't so different."

He seemed surprised, which promptly gave way to skepticism. "What on Spira would make you say that?"

"You've suffered huge losses. You lost your sons, right? You're in a lot of pain, and you're alone now. You've probably even come to realize that you don't have anything left without them because, since you were a prick your entire life, no one else likes or wants you." Ashlin pulled her pistol back so that the end was facing the sky. "Really, my killing you would be putting you out of your misery. That's why, every time we meet, you always tell me to do it. Tysh, I feel really, really _bad _for you."

Rupin's face became livid; he looked angrier and more frightening than she had ever seen a person in her life. "_Oui_ vaam pyt vun sa? Oui, yh Al Bhed unbryh fru tuac hud ajah ihtancdyht ran pmuutmeha? _Oui_?" he roared as he pulled out his gun and shot before she could even blink.

The reaction was not unexpected, and she promptly moved out of the way before firing a couple of shots in return. Rupin fell – his gun slid out of his reach – and she slowly and hesitantly approached him. "I'm putting this behind me; I refuse to kill you. I just need to know one thing." Rupin was glaring up at her, but he was pretty much harmless without his weapon and he knew it. "Did you ever get off of this airship, like in Bevelle?"

"I would never go to that filthy city," spat Rupin.

"So you never went there and spoke with a man?"

"I do not _speak _with Yevonites, let alone associate with them, unlike you."

Ashlin rubbed her temples. The news was nice to hear, but she still had no idea how Barett had found out she was imprisoned; of course, it could have been either Seymour or Aimee. She nodded. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank you." Then, she walked away from him and kicked the gun as hard as she could. Though Rupin reached out for it, his reflexes were much too slow and the weapon slid off of the side of the ship and hurled toward the earth below.

"Pedlr," he snarled, but the insult merely bounced off of her. She turned to leave and was quite startled to see a third person standing there. Gippal, with his gun resting on his shoulder, had obviously been watching them, but she did not know for how long.

Now discovered, he took a few steps toward Rupin. "Listen closely, old man, 'cause I'm not going to repeat this. You're going to go into the storage compartment and stay there until I come get you. After that, you're gonna leave the ship and not come back. Got it?"

Rupin looked up at him with a scowl on his face and without saying a word while clutching his chest; he stood, walked past them, and left. Gippal immediately turned toward her with his own scowl. "Why is it you seem to be in a dire situation every time I see you?"

"Because..." Ashlin had no decent response and began to play with the feather on her shorts. "I wasn't _really _in a dire situation; I disarmed him!" she pointed out, though she still understood what he was saying. "How long were you there?"

"Well, when I saw that you weren't with the others, I got a little concerned because a homicidal man who would like little more than to hurt and possibly kill you is on the ship. I'll admit that wasn't the entire reason, though." She stared at him with curiosity as his eyes settled on her shoulder scar before finally moving to her face. Then, he crossed his arms across his chest. "You mentioned me." His voice was oddly monotonous.

She stared at him with utter confusion. "What?"

"On your sphere, you mentioned me."

Her expression twisted with horror. "Oh… Oh, no. How did you see that? Rikku—" She had nearly forgotten she had handed over the sphere to Rikku, believing her final moments were upon her. "She gave it to you?"

Gippal pulled out the very sphere and, a little carelessly, began tossing it up and down in his hand. "Before you left for that Baaj Temple, she gave it to me."

"I really wish she hadn't. Everything that was on there—" Ashlin became even more perturbed as a realization dawned upon here: "...That stuff about Jaidan and Aimee."

"It certainly helped me understand you, but I still can't believe you mentioned me."

"Why is that so surprising? You… have become someone special to me. I had to mention you, even if there was little guarantee – in my mind, anyway – that you would see it. I owe you my life, so…"

Gippal chuckled, very briefly, before holding out the sphere. "Keep this. Rikku said she didn't think you knew everything that was on here; I agree."

She stared into the depths of the sphere, unsure of what he was talking about but not quite sure she was ready to see as she pocketed it. "Well... thanks. I feel pretty generously embarrassed now."

Gippal rested his arms behind his head as he turned away from her and took a few steps closer to the edge of the ship. "You shouldn't feel embarrassed to ask for help; you should feel embarrassed that you have it in your mind that you can handle everything by yourself, which you can't."

"Ouch, that stings," she mumbled as she stepped beside him.

He grinned at her. "Someone's gotta take you down a few pegs."

She shoved him a little. "Well, who's gonna do that for you?"

"I guess you're going to have to take the job," he replied, still grinning as he stared back out into the sky. "I wasn't sure what to think after you guys took off like that. I heard about the Via Purifico and all that. Gotta admit that I had my doubts you'd get out, but... of course you would, I guess, with Auron and Rikku on your side."

She stared at him with curiosity. "You know Auron?"

With a shrug, he answered, "It's a long story." He didn't elaborate, leaving her to assume that it was not up for discussion. "So, you're gonna defeat Sin, huh?"

"It's looking to be that way, isn't it? I would feel better about it... if things were different." He stared at her with a confused expression, but she didn't tell him about Jecht. There was no point. "We'll probably land in Bevelle soon. I don't know how long I was asleep..."

"You're right," he agreed with a nod. "Hey, before you go... I just want you to know that I don't want to see that sphere again. No more goodbyes, got it?"

Ashlin stared at him, unsure of how she should feel for a moment. With a smile and nod, she agreed, "Got it."

**XxX**

When she returned to the bridge, it was buzzing with excitement; Rikku nearly ran her over when she entered. "Ash, we figured it out!"

"Figured what out?" asked Ashlin, her head moving up and down in order to keep track of the bouncing Rikku.

Wakka shoved her aside. "Nah, _I _figured it out. I realized that—"

Rikku jumped onto his back, knocking him down a little. "No, what I remembered was—"

"The Hymn," remarked Lulu as she joined them; both Rikku and Wakka fell to the floor. "Sir Jecht enjoyed the Hymn, and Sin appeared in Macalania when he heard it, remember?" Ashlin nodded. "We will stand little chance against Sin at full strength, but if he hears the Hymn of the Fayth..."

"Mm, he'll be more peaceful!" realized Ashlin. "Wow, that's pretty clever of you, Lulu." Wakka and Rikku jumped back up and began to shout about how the idea had been theirs. "But... how would we get that to work?"

Lulu looked to Wakka and Rikku, both of whom were miraculously silent. "It seems we haven't gotten that far yet."

"Hey, listen up, we're in Bevelle! Don't do anything stupid, now!" barked Cid, and the group of them quickly disembarked at the very end of Bevelle's higbridge.

Ashlin watched as the others began to walk ahead, no doubt in search for Mika, who would likely be in the back. "Hey, there's something I need to do while we're here."

The others stopped and turned; the very look of 'Are you kidding me?' on some of their faces. "In Bevelle?" questioned Yuna, not appearing exasperated but simply curious.

"There's someone I need to see."

"You can't go off by yourself, guards are likely ordered to shoot us on sight, and I'm sure you'll run into more than a few in the city," pointed out Lulu.

Ashlin needed to make them understand. "Please, this is so important to me. Let me go."

"Not by yourself," repeated Lulu. Rikku was jumping up and down as she offered her services, but she was shot down. "Having two Al Bhed wandering Bevelle is an especially dangerous idea."

"I'll go," offered Tidus. "If that's okay," he added to mostly Yuna. Yuna smiled and nodded.

Lulu rubbed her temples. "That seems just as dangerous as sending Rikku and Ashlin off together."

"It's probably more dangerous to send her and Tidus, ya?" chuckled Wakka.

"It won't take long. We'll meet you back here, okay? Bye!" Ashlin tugged Tidus behind her as she took off at a dead run, not wanting them to change their minds. The sight of the actual city was breath-taking, even more so than their flight above it. The streets were made up of some type of white stone and buildings towered over on either side of them. "This is huge. Not as big as I remember, but still huge."

Tidus looked around in wonder as well. It was strange, the expression on his face; it nearly reminded Ashlin of Yuna's same expression. As if Tidus were memorizing every little detail of the stone and windows. "What are we looking for exactly?"

"You remember that guy who visited me in jail? That was Aimee and Jaidan's father. He told me that a 'heathen man' told him that I was imprisoned. Not that I know how, even if Barrett had been telling the truth, said Al Bhed would have known that, but it doesn't matter right now. Point is, Rupin –"

"Your father?"

"Yeah. Turns out that he never got off the ship, which I believe, and he would never go into Bevelle even if had gotten off the ship. I believe that more than anything."

"So your choice is to trust one of two men, both of which hate your existence?"

"Exactly."

"Even though it would sort of make sense that, if the two ever met and didn't want to kill each other, they might both want to work against you or be happy about your death and imprisonment?"

"But that could never happen, therefore..."

Tidus nodded. "Yeah, it is pretty farfetched. So we're looking for this guy. Where are we going to find him?"

"I'm guessing he lives in the same place he did when I was younger. I guess we'll see."

"And you're telling me that you can remember, from the age of three, how to navigate Bevelle and get there?" Ashlin couldn't blame him for being doubtful.

She nodded and looked up toward the sky, which seemed too bright and beautiful. "I've always had this recurring dream where I'm running through the streets with my mother. We turn left, right, right, left, right, down an alley and through this back door. I always thought it was just some random nightmare, but I'm pretty positive that it's the directions to Aimee's house from... here." They paused in the center of the street and looked for a street going left: they found one. "Let's see if I'm right."

**XxX**

Yuna and the others didn't get far down the highbridge when they were stopped and surrounded by a group of soldiers who raised their guns and prepared to fire. "Traitors of Yevon! Murderers! We will rid Spira of your taint once and for all!" Naturally, no one was prepared to go down that easily and weapons were drawn, even if the odds of them attacking before getting shot to death were slim.

"Wait!" cried a woman from somewhere near them. "Stop! Don't you hurt them!" A young woman ran up behind the soldiers and doubled over to catch her breath. "Yuna and her guardians are not the enemy. It's the Al Bhed—" The soldiers didn't wait for her to finish her sentence and, all of a sudden, every gun was turned on Rikku. Auron and Yuna covered her immediately. "No, no,I meant to say that it was the Al Bhed people who spread that awful rumor about her being a traitor. That is the word from Maester Mika," she emphasized when the soldiers seemed like they were going to ignore her. "You have no business here, return to your posts!"

Miraciously, the soldiers obeyed small Shelinda and slunk away. "Yes, Captain."

Auron stared at her. "You command them now?"

"Yes... many strange things have been going on since the passing of poor Maester Kinoc. The priests are fighting with one another, and in all of the confusion _I _was made a commander!"

"Very strange indeed," agreed Yuna though she said nothing more of the subject. "We need to speak with Maester Mika."

"Oh, but of course! Go ahead to the courtroom, I'll send him there."

"Because we've all missed that damned courtroom, haven't we?" grumbled Rikku as they followed Shelinda. She left them in the court room with the promise that she would send Mika to them. It was so strange to be in the spacious room alone and without being prosecuting nonetheless. Not that they knew what was waiting for them when Mika arrived, of course.

Without warning, he appeared; they supposed it was not so difficult, what with him being made up of pyreflies and all. "Does this mean you have obtained the Final Summoning? Is the Calm soon to be upon us? What on Spira are you doing here, wasting your time?" He noted that they were missing two party members. "Ah, so you chose the Al Bhed, hm? A truly untraditional approach. Then again, I suppose nothing about you is traditional, summoner." He chuckled, but it was cut short when he noticed Tidus' absence. "Or perhaps you took your lover? Much more traditional. We shall remember you with the same reverence as Lady Yunalesca herself!"

"No, you won't. Lady Yunalesca is gone."

Mika's eyes looked like they might pop out of their sockets. "G-gone? Gone where?"

"We got rid of Yunalesca. I refuse to give Spira false hope."

"False hope? My dear, that is our _only _hope. Without the Final Aeon, Spira will... will... be no more!"

Rikku cocked her head to the side. "Well, Seymour should be cheered by that thought!"

"I do not agree with Seymour about such things!" Mika practically shrieked before returning his gaze to Yuna. "But perhaps you got rid of Yunalesca after you obtained the aeon?" He did not keep the hope out of his voice. Yuna shook her head. "You... you vile fools...! You have damned Spira, you have condemned it! Why, oh why, do you wicked people insist on committing such a horrendous crime? Yu Yevon shall surely end us all now."

"Yu Yevon?" echoed Lulu.

Mika calmed down so that his voice returned to its normal pitch, "The creator... of Sin." Gasps resounded from the group like gunshots. "Utilizing Sin's armor, he lies deep in wait quite within and completely invincible from anyone or anything. Only the Final Aeon could break through, but you have taken that away. All is lost."

Mika's body was beginning to fade. "Wait, wait! We need your help!" protested Rikku.

With a scowl, he answered, "Help yourself." Then, he disappeared.

Rikku appeared anxious as she looked around. "Now what? What're we gonna do?"

Shelinda ran in at that moment, and a dead calm fell over everyone but Rikku. "Ah... Did you speak with Maester Mika?"

"He hasn't come," answered Auron; Rikku's jaw practically dropped on the ground.

"Ah... Okay, I'll try to find him... So strange..." And she shuffled out again.

Before the group could question each other, Yuna turned away from them and stared at something none of them could see: the fayth of Bahamut. "Come to Chamber of the Fayth," said the child before disappearing.

Yuna turned back toward her guardians. "I... I need to see the fayth." The others, with the exception of Auron, seemed perplexed but agreed.

**XxX**

The correctness of Ashlin's directions was never discovered. A few streets before where she thought the house would be, they found Barrett in the street. "Hey!" Ashlin shouted and strutted toward him. Tidus made to stop her; the street was covered with shops, shop keepers and shoppers. Guards were likely lurking around somewhere. "Barrett!" This time he looked at her, his lip curling back unpleasantly.

"What do you want?" he hissed when she was close enough to him. His eyes darted back and forth, suggesting openly that he did not want to be seen speaking to an Al Bhed.

"I want to know why you lied to me, and who told you to lie. You know, back in the prison where you told me an Al Bhed told you I was in jail? That couldn't possibly be true. My father had no idea. Furthermore, he's very Al Bhed – unlike me – and he _hates _Yevonites. He could never stand to set foot in a city crawling with them."

Barrett's facial expression remained sour. "Hn. What are you rambling on about?"

"Was it Aimee or Seymour? Who wanted you to tell me that, to question things... to lie? It's such a silly lie, too. I don't need to hate my father any more: my hate's already at the full limit."

Though he seemed like he might lie again or simply not answer and walk away, Barrett chuckled. "My daughter. She said it would aggravate you the most."

"And Seymour told her," remarked Tidus. It was not so much a question but a statement after everything Ashlin had informed him.

"She said that you might be clever enough to figure it out, eventually, but I had my doubts. Too bad she didn't come with me."

At this, she faltered. "Come with you? How could she do a thing like that? She's gone." Ashlin recalled the image of Rikku 'killing' Aimee with perfect detail.

"Gone? Are you a fool? Of course she's not gone."

His facial expression told her that he wasn't lying; it was perfectly serious and almost angry. "But, I..."

"I am not surprised that the Al Bhed lied about Lady Yuna being a traitor; you heathen seem to enjoy plucking the hope from others. How dare you first tell me that my daughter has died and then try to tell me she's gone when I clearly know better than you!" Ashlin felt that she should have acknowledged the irony in some way or another. "I really must be going. I'm sure Aimee would be quite interested to hear about this whole incident."

"Ashlin," warned Tidus a half a second before she moved. Allowing all of her aggravation to boil over, she quickly reached out and grabbed the collar of Barrett's shirt. She could not actually recall the last time she had manhandled someone who was not an armed enemy; it felt strange.

Barrett wriggled in her grip, leaving both teenagers to wonder why he didn't simply reach out and push her back, being much taller. "Unhand me, you heathen! Don't touch me with your filthy hands!" His voice shook as if he were afraid of her, and something clicked in Tidus' mind at long last.

"I guess I could understand your clinging to Aimee. After all, you pushed her away for her entire life, so you would be desperate to hang onto something, even if it was nothing."

With a scowl, he growled, "What are you rambling on about? 'Her entire life'? Her life isn't even over!"

Tidus rubbed the back of his head. "Sheesh, when are you gonna get it? Ashlin's telling the truth!"

"If you want to redeem yourself and prove that you love your daughter, you'd take her to a priest or someone, anyone, that can get rid of her. If you really love her, you would send her to me so I can take her to Yuna to be Sent."

Barrett glared at her. "You must have been exposed to Sin's toxins a few too many times. My daughter is as alive as you. Guards! Guards!" Ashlin released him and took a few steps back with Tidus, but she knew it was too late. The guards had seen her hands on him and, even if they had not, seeing two teenagers – one of which was an Al Bhed – would not help them.

So much time had passed since she had last found herself in such a situation that Ashlin was unsure of what to do or how to react. Luckily for her, Tidus thought on his feet, seized her wrist, and the two of them sprinted down an alleyway.

The alleyway looped around, and they soon found themselves returning to the Highbridge, which was fortunate as they found Lulu waiting for them. Tidus skidded to a stop as he and Ashlin doubled over, their chests heaving as they tried to catch their breath. Lulu only raised an eyebrow and waited for them to explain, as was her nature. "Guards," huffed Tidus, "where are the others?"

Lulu gestured to a lift beside them. "They've probably only just gotten into the temple. Yuna said she needed to speak with the fayth."

Tidus straightened up abruptly and squared his shoulders. He nodded and said, "I need to hurry and catch up." Neither of the women questioned him as he jumped onto the lift and descended into the darkness, leaving Ashlin to explain.

As per usual, she seemed to prefer to put off the inevitable. "What happened with Mika?"

"He offered us no other solutions," answered Lulu, if not a little bitterly. "He seems to think our chances to defeat Sin died with Lady Yunalesca... but we did learn something. Do you remember the name Yu Yevon?"

A little relieved that Lulu was not grilling her, at least for the moment, she nodded earnestly. "Yeah... Yunalesca mentioned that name, didn't she? Did Mika tell you who that is?"

"Yu Yevon," Lulu paused and hesitated for a moment before continuing, "is the creator of Sin."

Ashlin hissed a breath through her lips as she pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. "Wait, what? But... Sin was supposed to be punishment for using machina, right?" The conversation felt like deja vu, but she did not comment on it. "Yu Yevon, he... None of this makes sense."

"It doesn't," agreed Lulu, "however... We cannot afford to dwell on the lies that have been told to us. What we must do is focus on how to defeat Sin."

"Is that what the others are doing?"

"I imagine so." Lulu's held was tilted at an angle ever-so-slightly, as if she were attempting to see through a glamour.

Ashlin toed the floor with her boot. "But we're not going to join them right now, are we?"

"That's up to you. What happened?"

Lulu wasn't even grilling her, she realized. She simply sounded curious, like a concerned friend. "I just needed to hear the honest truth. I..." Ashlin quickly went over a few of the past events in her head and came to the conclusion that, in the wake of trying to discover a way to defeat Sin, the last thing she needed to do was worry anyone further. She settled for, "I found him, the man who visited me in jail – the father of my friends – and I made him tell me the truth." Lulu seemed to be following, for which Ashlin, who was speaking and thinking very fast, was relieved for; they had all shared their stories in the woods. "He told me it was Aimee that told him to lie about my father because she thought it would have the... best effect. And that's it. I got upset, and I put my hands on him, and Tidus hurried up and got us out of there before the guards could do anything to us."

Ashlin knew Lulu wasn't stupid and would sense the gaping hole that was missing from the story. Her body was still heaving with every breath, and she was pale from the knowledge that Aimee had yet to leave Spira. Perhaps Lulu just did not want to pry, for she took that explanation with ease. "But the two of you are alright?" A nod. "Let's go join the rest."

By the time they reached the Chamber of the Fayth, everyone was starting to leave. Ashlin shook her head so vigorously that her ponytail whipped back and forth. "You've got to be kidding me. What did we miss?"

"The Fayth have offered to help us defeat Yu Yevon," answered Yuna with a nervous smile.

Ashlin only squinted as they started back through the cloisters. "Explain, please?"

Yuna nodded and locked her hands behind her back for a moment, a surprisingly free gesture. "Yu Yevon lives within Sin. Sin is just an armor that Yu Yevon uses to protect himself. When a summoner uses the Final Summon to 'defeat' Sin, Yu Yevon simply merges with it and recreates Sin."

"But... Why? Does that mean he's evil?" it seemed like a childish question, but Ashlin was unsure about the entire business.

Yuna slowly shook her head. "No... Well, I'm not sure," she admitted. "He's neither good nor evil. He was a summoner when Zanarkand was still a functioning city. He was there for the war between Bevelle and Zanarkand. I'm... not completely sure what happened after, but it seems that he created Sin to punish those who would use machina."

Ashlin was no less confused, but she only smiled. "So we now know how to get inside of Sin and defeat the person controlling it? This is great news! What are we waiting for?"

"One more aeon," reminded Rikku as she joined them. "When we were flying near the Calm Lands before, I think I saw something, we should check it out! After that, we can get rid of the big meanie, and no one even has to be sacrificed to do it! This is great!"

Thoughts of Aimee slipped away as she smiled because, after all, Rikku was right.

**XxX**

In their excitement to find the final aeon, no questions were asked about Tidus and Ashlin's little sidetrip, and Tidus didn't tell anyone about it. Aside from Rikku and Auron, he was the only one who knew about Aimee and, as much as she appreciated that, she could not help but bug him. "There was a lot missing in Yuna's explanation back at the Chamber," she mused as they picked up the rear of the group in the Calm Lands.

"Yeah, the fayth was spewing out a lot of nonsense that she didn't understand."

Ashlin raised a fine eyebrow. "And... you do?"

"Ashlin," he sounded exasperated.

"I'm not stupid, I know that something is up. I've told you everything, please, tell me what's going on with you." They were walking through a thin passageway now as cliff walls rose on either side of them. Ashlin knew she was not the only one praying that Rikku's hunch about another aeon being in the Calm Lands was correct.

Tidus heaved an exasperated sigh, and she fought down the urge to laugh. "Fine." She was so surprised that she nearly tripped over her own feet. "Listen closely, and don't tell _anyone_." Remembering Auron had also held her to a promise, she fought down the urge to groan. Keeping her own secrets was never any fun, and it was even worse to have to keep other people's. However, she kept perfectly quiet as Tidus recounted his fainting spell on the mountain and the 'dream' he had.

She kept her fingernails pressed into her skin to prevent herself from yelling or crying. "Your Zanarkand isn't real, but how could it be when the real one... Anyway, you're saying your Zanarkand is a... dream? A dream started up by Yu Yevon? And he, what, turned all of the living people there into fayth in order to protect them from being killed in the war?"

"I guess he thought it would be a shame for Zanarkand and its memories to be destroyed, and I admit that he's right, it's beautiful. He uses Sin to keep Dream Zanarkand in existence and, also, to prevent any destruction like that of the original Zanarkand..."

Ashlin pursed her lips. "But, in trying to keep up the fake, he doesn't even care about the real people! Not that you're not real, you're real _now_," she added hastily. "But, my mother... Aimee and Jaidan's mother... They died just to keep up some stupid dream?" Again, she corrected herself, "Not stupid, but you get my point..."

"No, I get it," Tidus reassured her before swallowing hard. "But that's not the worst."

"It's... not? What could be worse?"

Tidus looked around, quickly, but it seemed they had fallen behind, as usual. "In Bevelle, the fayth said that when Yu Yevon and Sin are defeated, the dream will end. That means that I'll..."

"You'll disappear?" Ashlin's nails bit into her palms painfully, but it was all she could do to stop herself from screaming. She seized his arm as she had when Jaidan left her and Aimee to see his father in Bevelle. "No, you can't."

His laugh held a bitter edge. "Not much I can do about it."

"Are you kidding me?" she hissed. "We've already done the impossible: we've stopped Yuna from dying. There must be another way for you, too!"

"There's not." His voice was flat. "Ashlin, please. I need you to understand. We need to do this, focus on Sin, don't worry about me. After all, I'm not all that real, am I?"

Ashlin gripped his arm tighter to stop herself from hitting him. "You _are _real! You're real to all of us and, above all, you're very real to Yuna!"

"Yuna..." Tidus sighed her name. "You can't tell Yuna. You can't tell anyone but, above all, you can't tell her. Got it?"

She finally released his arm and covered her face with her arm. "I think I'm going to faint from the pressure of all of this."

He patted her on the shoulder before steering her along. "I'm sure you can handle it." When they stopped suddenly a moment later, she dropped her arm to her side to see what the hold up was.

They had yet to catch up with the others, but they were in view now. Tidus had stopped before a rickety, old, and treacherous-looking bridge that stretched down to a tall, ornate-looking building; the temple, Ashlin guessed. "Rikku deserves some major credit for this," she commented as, slowly, they began their descent to join the others.

Once they were at the back of the group, Tidus tapped his foot impatiently. "Hey, what's going on? Aren't we going inside?"

"We can't," answered Lulu.

Ashlin raised her eyebrows. "Why... not...?" She and Tidus moved to the front of the group, but neither of them were still very sure about why they weren't allowed to go forward. Yuna seemed to be crouching a little before a young boy and girl.

Both were brunettes, and the boy seemed a little older than his sister. His arms were folded across his chest, and his brown eyes were narrowed. Ashlin's heart sank into her stomach at the familiarity of the children. "No one comes to this temple anymore 'cause no one cares about it! Why should we let you in?" demanded the boy.

Tidus swiped his arm to the side. "Hey, kid, show some respect—" He fell quiet as Yuna glanced back at him.

She returned a kinder gaze to the boy. "I am a summoner. I'm going to defeat Sin and, to do that, I need to get the final aeon."

The boy shook his head. "There've been plenty of summoners who have passed by this temple! Why should you be any different?"

Instead of getting upset, Yuna simply nodded and placed her index finger to her chin. "How can I prove to you that I want to get inside of the temple?"

A grin slowly spread across the boy's face. "A race! A Chocobo race!"

Though it would have been beyond simple for Yuna's guardians to brush aside the children, Yuna nodded and stood. "Alright, then. A race it is."

"Really?" The boy and his sister appeared ecstatic. "Anyone of you can race me, I don't care who."

Ashlin looked around at the group, rolled her eyes, and smiled as she stepped to the front. "Alright, I'll do it."

Rikku stuck her tongue out. "No sphere necessary this time, right?"

* * *

**Tysh **– Damn

_**Oui**_** vaam pyt vun sa? Oui, yh Al Bhed unbryh fru tuac hud ajah ihtancdyht ran pmuutmeha? Oui? **- _You_ feel bad for me? You, an Al Bhed orphan who does not even understand her bloodline? _You_?

**Pedlr** - Bitch


	24. Mirror to Mirror

**A/n: If you want me to be perfectly honest, I had both forgotten and given up on this story. I don't really know why since I always enjoyed writing it. I guess life caught up with me. I could not even remember this account. **

**But I'm back! I'm going to finish this story, and I'm going to start its sequel. You can count on that. Also, I apologize about the shorter than usual chapter. It is a bit awkward, getting into this after it's been so long.**

**Disclaimer - I still don't own Final Fantasy X. **

* * *

**Twenty-Three:  
**Mirror to Mirror

Clouds were beginning to surround the temple and swirl in the sky. Yuna held out her hand as a drop of rain splattered on her face. "Ominous," mumbled Lulu.

Rikku followed Ashlin to the east of the temple where a lone Chocobo was stationed behind a gate. Tidus was right behind them, resting his arms behind his head. "Hey, can you even ride a Chocobo?"

"Of course! I mean, when I have the money for it and all. Renting a Chocobo isn't cheap, and the Chocobo owner at the Agency isn't exactly willing to barter." She scratched the Chocobo's soft head. "But we'll be fine, won't we, little guy?" The Chocobo chirped with content as the little boy ran over to meet them.

"We're gonna start. Are you ready?"

The raindrops were falling more steadily now.

"Yes, let's do it."

"Okay! First one to the very bottom center is the winner." The little boy raised his hand, though it seemed more for show than for any practical reason. "Three... Two... One... Go!"

The gate flew forward on its own accord, and Ashlin leaned forward on the Chocobo, urging it on. There was an entire system of thin ramps looping around the underside of the temple. "Maybe this wasn't a great idea..." The ending point in question was visible. There was a round platform directly beneath the temple that had a rusted red treasure chest. "Hm, can we jump to it?" she wondered aloud, and the Chocobo chirped in response. "Let's go for it!"

The Chocobo took a few steps back and leapt down to a lower path. All seemed well at first, until the Chocobo began to shake, one foot up as the other hung over the abyss below. "Whoa, whoa!" She eased the Chocobo back onto the path and sighed. "No more of that, okay?"

On the opposite end of the track, the little girl and her Chocobo were moving fast. They would reach the bottom too soon. "Okay, let's go! We can do this!" she heard the girl whoop.

Ashlin tried to remain focused as she steered the Chocobo onto a lower path, with one final track below them that would lead to the finish line. She could still picture herself as a small child, with Aimee, their chubby arms and fingers stretched out towards wild Chocobo flocks that easily outran them. Aimee's goofy little smile was sealed into her mind just as much as her look of pain and fear as she died. Shaking her head, she lowered her body further, and the Chocobo followed suit with its neck.

Final track. They were so close, but so was the girl. It was going to be a close match. Ashlin glanced at the girl again. There was no way she could win with the child just feet within the path that would lead her to victory. "How about we jump one more time? The platform is big. We can do it! What do you say?" she asked the Chocobo, who seemed to squeak with uncertainty. "C'mon!" The Chocobo chirped again and took a few steps back before making a leap for the second time.

The gap here was smaller, and it landed with ease on the finishing platform, the little girl coming up right behind them. She frowned a little and folded her arms. "Aw, I lost!"

Ashlin smiled. "I'm sorry. You did really well. You almost won!"

The girl giggled. "I guess you had better ideas than me. That's what I get for racing against an adult, I guess." She nodded to herself. "Okay! You and your friends can go into the temple. The Lady is waiting for you, I think." Her Chocobo turned around and dashed back for the surface.

Curious about the contents of the old chest, Ashlin dismounted the Chocobo and pulled hard on the top. It flew open with some muscle to reveal... a very strange little mirror. It seemed to be covered in mist and reflected absolutely nothing. By all accounts, it was useless, but... Ashlin tucked it into her pack as she climbed back onto the Chocobo.

It could still come in handy.

When she reached the top, she found the others standing before the children, who had returned to the entrance of the temple. "You won! So we can see what's inside this big, scary place," said Rikku, throwing a fist in the air. She turned back towards the others. "So we should go before there's any lightning."

Yuna laughed quietly and nodded her head. She returned her attention to the children and kneeled down. "Is it alright if we go inside now?"

The children nodded. "Yeah! The lady was really good."

"Will you be okay by yourselves?"

"Yeah, I think we're gonna leave soon. We've been here for so long."

"Yunie," said Rikku in a whimper. "The rain..."

Yuna nodded. "Okay. You two take good care of yourselves, alright?" she added to the children who smiled and nodded.

"Thanks nice lady! The lady inside should be happy to see you. She's been waiting for somebody for a long time, too!" Yuna and the others started for the door, which glowed and opened of its own accord.

Ashlin hung back with the children, kneeling down on the ground. "Where are your parents?"

"Our parents died a long time ago, I guess they were killed by that big Sin, so it was just my little brother and me. Um, we were lost in that big forest for a really long time, and one day we found that big field full of the Chocobos. We loved the Chocobos, but they didn't like us very much. While we were walking around, we were attacked by some fiends, and I guess we died, but..." The little girl put her hand to her cheek. "But we didn't want to die! We were just little kids, it wasn't fair..."

"So even though we bleed a lot and we both looked like we were sleeping, we woke up! But we bring these fireflies everywhere we go, see?" The boy stopped and outstretched his arms. Some pyreflies floated around his body before receding. "So I guess we really aren't alive anymore, but we've had so much time here, playing with the Chocobos! We'll miss them."

The little girl smiled. "We used to race each other, but it got so boooring, but we had to keep practicing in case somebody came! Nobody ever came. The nice lady's the only company we've ever had, but she said she doesn't Chocobo race. But now that we raced you, I guess it would be okay if we leave. We just wanted to see some more people before we left. It's too quiet here, anyways. Right?" She looked at her brother, who nodded.

"Yeah!"

"I'm sorry you've been so along. Do you really think you'll be okay..." Ashlin hesitated as she tried to find the appropriate wording for children. "Moving on?"

"We can see our parents again! Maybe it won't be so bad, right?"

Ashlin nodded. "That's right. And you know what? I promise to come visit you in the Farplane, okay?"

The children made "ooh" ing noises. "Yeah, yeah! Oh, we went there before and it's so pretty. Will we really go there?"

"Of course you guys will! You can play in the flowers and the water all day long with your parents. Doesn't that sound fun?" The kids nodded earnestly.

"Okay," said the little girl as she grabbed her brother's hand. "Are you ready?" She closed her eyes.

"Yeah! Good luck, lady! I hope you and your nice summoner and your friends beat Sin!"

Ashlin nodded. "We absolutely will." Pyreflies surrounded the two children as their bodies slowly faded more and more until they were gone completely. As she ran up the steps to join the others, she found Auron waiting outside the door. "I thought you went inside?"

"You look pale."

"Well..." Ashlin dug her hands into her pockets, looking over her shoulder where the children had been. "It's so... chilling. And sad. First, their parents died, leaving them all alone, and then they died, too, they were all alone. There was no one to watch over them. It makes me feel so lucky. That could have been Ami and I. Though in her case, the only difference would be age, nothing else."

Auron looked past her, up into the dark sky. "Soon, we will fight Sin, and you'll see Jecht again. I do not have much time left in this world where I no longer belong." He looked at her, and she could feel it, she could feel him looking right through her. "You will meet Ami again. Your story cannot be unwoven from hers until she passes on. She will haunt you."

"You know that's she still alive?" asked Ashlin, her voice jumping a few octaves. Then, it dawned upon her. "That's right, you're both... But you aren't vengeful at all. She, she _hates _me."

"I stayed in this world because I felt unfulfilled. I died suddenly, and I never was able to keep my promise to Jecht. After I died, I wandered until I found my way to Zanarkand. I knew I had to bring Jecht's son and Braska's daughter to Sin, to put things to an end. I hold no grudge. I only have purpose. Ami's life was likewise stolen, but she was too young to be able to accept her death. She holds contempt for the living, contempt for you, who left that place alive. In her mind, it should have been you as well."

"She wants me dead, yet I still can't let her go. It's pretty pathetic, isn't it?" Ashlin looked around the area, looked into the sky, anything but in Auron's general direction.

"Perfectly understandable, but she does not belong here anymore. Remember that."

Ashlin nodded. "Of course. Of course, but once she's gone, I really will feel all alone. It's strange, how seeing her again, so vengeful, made me feel so happy again. I've been alone for a long time. But, I guess I'm not alone anymore, am I?" She thought of Tidus, what he had say about disappearing. And she thought about Auron also disappearing. "Thank you."

Auron pushed himself away from the wall and began to head for the door. "Come."

The temple was dark, and very small. It seemed to consist solely of one small room with some type of door on the north end. In fact, it reminded Ashlin of the antechamber before a Fayth's room. At the center of the room, Yuna had summoned Anima to fight a group of three fairies who had been summoned by none other than Belgemine. "How long has Yuna been fighting her?" asked Ashlin as she joined the group.

"This may be the last one. This is Belgemine's eight summon," replied Lulu. As she spoke, a ball of dark energy left Anima's eye and the three fairies faded and disappeared.

"Yuna," began Belgemine, "you have proved yourself to be more than a capable summoner. I believe with all of my being that you will go on to defeat Sin. I have the utmost belief in your skill."

Yuna, still holding her rod, bowed deeply. "Thank you, Belgemine. It's all thanks to you for making me stronger."

"Now, I can pass on knowing that you will become the next High Summoner. Good luck, Yuna." Yuna raised her rod, twirling it between her fingers with an air of practice, and lifting her arms.

"Wait, Belgemine, she was an Unsent this entire time?" asked Ashlin, her voice hard.

"You sound surprised to hear that this late in the game, ya?" replied Wakka, and he certainly had a point. The amount of unsents she knew of seemed to rise with each passing day.

"Hmm, so is there not an aeon here after all?" asked Rikku.

Tidus pointed to the only other door in the room. "That definitely looks like the entrance to one of the chambers, doesn't it?"

"The last fayth I must pray to..." Yuna turned to the rest of the group and bowed. "It won't take much longer, everyone." She hurried to the opposite end of the room, and the petals retracted to allow her entrance.

"Belgemine had all of the same summons as Yuna. I wonder if the final fayth are those little fairies that she was using?" wondered Tidus.

Lulu inclined her head. "Very likely."

Yuna hurried back out of the chamber with a smile. "Okay, everyone, are you ready?"

"Of course. We're with you, Yuna," said Tidus. "All the way."

* * *

**A/n: As I said, apologies for the short chapter, and it's mostly exposition, too. I promise things will be more interesting in the next chapter. See you then!**


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